IRIN
PAKISTAN: Poor health conditions at emergency quake camps
8 December 2005


[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United 
Nations]

ISLAMABAD, 8 December (IRIN) - Health experts have expressed grave 
concern over unsanitary conditions at over 1,000 spontaneous camps 
housing earthquake survivors in parts of northern Pakistan and 
Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

"Spontaneous camps are a potential [health] risk. The unsanitary 
conditions in these camps continue to give cause for concern," Dr Khalif 
Bile, country head of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in the 
Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Thursday.

According to the WHO, there are more than 1,000 spontaneous camps 
housing survivors of October's devastating regional quake that killed at 
least 80,000 people. In Muzaffarabad - capital of Pakistani-administered 
Kashmir - alone, there are 23 spontaneous camps, of which only 12 have 
adequate health facilities. Bile suggested having at least one paramedic 
at every camp.

More than 100,000 were injured after the powerful quake measuring 7.6 on 
the Richter scale ripped through Pakistan's North West Frontier Province 
(NWFP) and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. In addition, over 3.5 million 
people were rendered homeless, with extensive damage to public-service 
infrastructure. More than 80 percent of health facilities in the 
devastated region were either destroyed or damaged beyond use.

In a preventive measure to reduce the chance of epidemic outbreaks, 
vaccination campaigns against measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio and 
vitamin A, have been ongoing in the earthquake-affected area since the 
first week of the disaster. A total of 300,000 children have received 
vaccinations to date.

A Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) was also put in place by Pakistani 
health authorities just after the earthquake, with 124 reporting units 
and six mobile teams available to investigate reported disease 
outbreaks.

The system is operational in five of the worst quake-affected districts 
with a total population of over 3.6 million: Muzaffarabad; Bagh; Poonch 
in Pakistani administered Kashmir; Mansehra; and Battagram districts of 
NWFP.

According to the WHO, the DEWS monitors any trends and changes in 
disease patterns. The system noted an alarming increase in cases of 
acute watery diarrhoea in one spontaneous camp in Muzaffarabad during 
the second week of November and the outbreak was rapidly dealt with 
before it spread widely.

According to the Federal Relief Commission, there are 47 international 
field hospitals operational through quake-affected areas.

However, two months on, the pattern of treatment at these field 
hospitals has changed, say health experts, as they are no longer dealing 
with acute earthquake-related trauma but are providing essential 
surgical services and hospitalised care for severe medical conditions.

Meanwhile, another nine mental health teams have also been mobilised to 
focus on psycho-social support for the millions of earthquake survivors 
facing the harsh Himalayan winter.


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can be accessed at www.IRINnews.org. Full-sized images suitable for 
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New photos and articles are added daily.


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