ReliefWeb

Monrovia, Liberia - The UNMIL Force Commander, General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, has just visited a free medical camp established by the medical personnel of the Pakistani Contingent in the remote town of Yeala in Lofa County, northeastern Liberia.

Addressing patients who benefitted from the camp, General Obiakor stated that similar medical camps would be established in the future to provide follow-up treatment. He was particularly concerned about the poor growth-rate of children in the area and urged the doctors to dispense vitamins and other nutritional supplements to counter malnutrition.

The camp was established as part of the medical outreach initiative of the Pakistani peacekeepers.

Ten doctors, including two women, and twenty members of the paramedical staff, along with 600kg of medicine were arranged for the people of Yeala. Lieutenant Colonel Bashir Ahmed, commanding officer of the Pak Level-II Hospital said, "With the recent introduction of Pakistani female doctors, the medical camps also provide antenatal medical services for expectant mothers."

Surgical, medical, ENT and eye specialists, as well as a pathologist with laboratory facilities and a radiologist also provided care at the camp. The Pakistani Contingent Commander, Brigadier General Ahmad Nawaz, assured the more than 1300 patients of his contingent's continued commitment to provide such humanitarian services.

The Force Commander also visited the troops of the newly arrived Pakistani Battalion, Pak Batt-8, at Zorzor and later attended a briefing of Pak Engineers working on the 95-kilometre Voinjama-Zorzor Road. Lt-Gen. Obiakor expressed satisfaction about the speed and quality of the work there. The project is being funded by the World Bank and is a joint venture between UNDP and UNMIL.