Medical camp treats landslide survivors

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): A medical camp has been set up in the landslide-hit Argo district of northeastern Badakhshan province and so far 200 patients from surviving families have been treated, the public health director said on Sunday.

The landslide on May 2 trapped hundreds of people under the rubble of their homes and displaced about 700 families, who survived the disaster.

Housed in tents on hilltops, the families have complained many women and children had infected by various types of diseases due to severe climate conditions in the absence of clean drinking water.

The situation led the provincial Public Health Department to establish a medical camp and provide free of cost treatment to the infected individuals.

Dr. Noor Mohammad Khawari, the public health director, told Pajhwok Afghan News 10 doctors had been made available at the medical camp.

He said the doctors were administering vaccines, providing medicine, health education and awareness about malnutrition and reproductive health services.

“Standard health services are delivered to patients at the camp, including minor surgeries,” Khawari said, adding so far 220 patients, including undernourished children and pregnant women, had been treated.

Merlin, an international health charity organization, and the World Health Organisation (WHO), have also been active at the free medical camp, with the WFP distributing food and medicine to the malnourished children.

Dr. Abdul Khalil, the Merlin head in Afghanistan, said tens of malnourished children infected with diarrhea and pneumonia received healthcare on a daily basis and 18 children in chronic condition would receive a long-term healthcare service.

Khaliqdad, a displaced person, said they had been without potable water for three to four days after the disaster hit the village on May 2. “My five-year-old son who fell sick is now feeling better after he was examined and given medicine by doctors at the camp,” he added.

Khaliqdad said he would have lost his child if he had not been given medicine at the camp because taking him to the provincial capital was too expensive and time-consuming.

A woman, who had brought her child to the camp for treatment said: “My child is very week and is losing weight gradually. Now I am here and the doctors say he is malnourished.”

“It has been two days my child is under treatment and is given special food and medicines,” she added.

The survivors have been demanding the construction of houses at a safe location and retrieval of corpses from the deep layer of mud.

The government has promised digging out the bodies and constructing a township for the survivors.

ra/ma

 

 

 

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