SITUATION
Three weeks after the earthquake, it
is estimated that half the deaths and injuries caused by the October 8
earthquake are children. With a steady stream of injured people continuing
to be located by our medical teams, the United Nations increased its plea
for aid from $313 million to $550 million. The timing for receipt of pledges
from donor nations has not been confirmed, but Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General
of the United Nations pleaded with the international community on Wednesday
for more support to prevent a "second wave of deaths". NATO has
now operated 27 relief flights to Pakistan with 454 tons of assistance.
An additional 210,000 winterised tents and 2 millions blankets are still
required though.
The United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has estimated that there is a three-week window of opportunity to deliver assistance to mountainous areas before first snowfall. OCHA further assessed that as much as 30% of the area affected has not been reached, which could translate into at least 200,000 people not getting the assistance they need. Access via primary roads has improved in the last couple of days. An influx of helicopter assets has also assisted the logistical process of moving personnel into remote locations and extracting injured patients. AAI has extracted 7 patients in the last 48 hours, and they have been referred on for further medical treatment in Bagh and Islamabad.
The number of homeless caused by the October 8 earthquake is estimated to be between 2.7 and 3.2 million. Landslides continue to be a threat to road travellers and aftershocks continue; the AAI team based at Lasdana has been woken three out of the last seven nights from tremors.
AAI teams have reported an increase in the amount of Scabies and Acute Respiratory Tract Infections. These are now becoming major public health problems due to lack of hygiene, cold weather and inappropriate shelter. Infection of wounds and untreated fractures are the most frequent issues our medics and doctors are coming across as they continue fighting to save limbs and lives.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded 111 cases of tetanus, including 19 deaths in several locations and 14 cases of measles in Balakot and Batagram.
In Indian-administered Kashmir, less than ten kilometres from where AAI medical teams are operating, the estimated death toll stands at approximately 1,400 dead, 5,000 injured and 140,000 homeless.
AAI RESPONCE
On Thursday an AAI medical team attended the village of Bedhi, which has a surrounding population of 12,000 people. Bedhi is a three-hour drive from the Lasdana base camp along rugged roads that have been damaged by the recent quakes. 25% of the patients treated were children, many with respiratory problems, who were treated with Albuterol inhalers, Prednisone and Zithromax. Nearly 40 patients were seen, with six surgical procedures performed. AAI later met with Syeh Bukhari, the Sunni Muslim leader in Azad Kashmir, who gave his support to the Australian relief group.
On Friday the same medical team established two medical clinics at Halla Shimali, each with a doctor and medic and again later in the day at Soli, with a total of 58 patients seen and eight surgical procedures conducted. One eight year old male and a 12 year old female were suffering from scabies.
An evaluation and evacuation run was conducted on Saturday by an AAI medical team. Two patients were re-evaluated and transported to Bagh, with a 65 year old male, who was suffering from a femur fracture, flown to Islamabad for surgery.
Another medical team was the first to respond to an emergency road traffic accident. A 14 year old male was found dead, with a nine year old male suffering from a concussion and bruising to the head, treated with fluid resuscitation due to his lowered conscious state and referred for further tests for suspected neurological injuries. A ten year old male had a severely dislocated elbow and was given pain relief before the dislocation was reduced. The driver of the vehicle, an 18 year old male received a 2cm laceration to the centre of his head, which was bleeding profusely. His wound was cleaned and compressed. All patients were conveyed by AAI to the MST Military Hospital.
The medical team then treated a seven year old male from Pallagni, who had a suspected bone infection who was also referred to the MST Military Hospital for further observation.
The AAI logistic support team is currently sourcing suitable cold weather tents from various countries, to provide shelter to villages in the vicinity of Lasdana, to help prevent deaths during the oncoming winter.
In collaboration with the WHO, AAI will in the next 48 hours commence a measles, tetanus and polio vaccination program in the Haveli Tehsil, 27km east of Bagh
CONCLUSION
On Thursday, President General Pervez Musharraf directed an all out effort, providing relief to the areas still not accessed after the earthquake ravaged areas of NWFP and Azad Kashmir.
The President showed grave concern that some people in remote areas have not yet received relief goods and may still be in need of medical assistance, and asked all concerned to reach out to the people stranded in the inaccessible mountainous regions.
AAI recognises that the window to reach earthquake survivors in the remote mountains and high valleys of quake-hit Pakistan is fast closing with the onset of cold weather. AAI teams continue to work in the Haveli and Bagh Tehsils providing essential medical services to people in need.
Dominic Bowen
Operations Support Manager
Australian Aid International