KARACHI, Oct 11: Responding to the immediate needs of people affected by the worst ever earthquake of the country, among others, doctors and paramedics from Karachi have also rushed to the northern parts of the country.
A mission of specialized doctors, surgeons, nephrologists, anaesthetists, technologists and paramedical staff from the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, headed by Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi, has left for the quake-hit areas along with ventilators, monitors, six dialysis machines, medicines and other medical supplies.
An SIUT communication stated that in natural calamities, it was the crush injury which led to fatalities. People lying under heavy masonry got damage to their muscles releasing blood and proteins, which in turn on entering the kidneys block them and cause renal failure. It was this acute phase when emergency dialysis was necessary to save a life.
SIUT team in liaison with senior doctors of Ayub Medical College has an aim of saving precious lives of the earthquake victims, the communication added.
Imran, a 17-year-old student of Geology at Muzaffarabad University, who remained under rubble of the hostel for more than six hours, after being rescued was transported by the army to Abbottabad. Since he had acquired major injuries to his legs and abdomen and his kidneys stopped working, he was successfully dialyzed and was now safe, said the SIUT source.
Manazir, a 23-year-old baker, was working on the ground floor of a three-story building which collapsed. He remained under the debris for 12 hours, trapped under a beam which had to be cut to get him out. He had attained crush injuries and his legs were fractured. He was brought to Abbottabad and provided emergency treatment with dialysis and drugs. Doctors said that he was out of danger now.
“Many more casualties are coming in, but these two major ones were treated within 24 hours of the arrival of SIUT team, which will continue to work there till it is necessary,” it was further added.
NICH: A team of eight surgeons, physicians, operation theatre technicians and anaesthetists from the National Institute of Child Health would reach Mansehra in the early hours of Wednesday.
This was stated by NICH Director Dr Afroze Sherali while talking to Dawn on Tuesday. She said that another team of 10 doctors, which had reached Mansehra on Sunday, started attending victims at Mansehra district health centre.
The NICH had also dispatched a container of medicines, drugs, instruments, equipments, food items, milk and edible oil, blankets and coats directly to Mansehra on Tuesday, she added, saying that the relief goods worth Rs2 million were arranged through support and donations by NGOs and health welfare association, including Sada and Child Health Aid.
LNH: Thirty-five doctors, including general physicians, paediatrics and surgeons, from Liaquat National Hospital have left for quake-hit areas so far to join in the relief operation.
According to the hospital’s public affairs personnel, the doctors and paramedical staff are being sent in batches and the process is still continued. Relief camps have also been set up in Karachi for collection of medical supplies from donors and pharmaceutical firms.
JPMC: The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre has also sent three medical missions with 25 doctors and 26 paramedics (orthopaedics surgeons, chest surgeons, general surgeons, anaesthetists, radiologists, physicians and chest physicians) to the earthquake-hit areas, with medicines, drugs, equipments, food items, clothes and blankets, add agencies.
AKUH: The Aga Khan University Hospital has sent two teams consisting of eight doctors and three nursing technicians along with medicine supplies to help victims of the earthquake.
These trauma teams consist of general, orthopaedic and neurosurgeons, anaesthetists and emergency medicine specialists along with advanced medicines for surgery and fracture repair.
The employees of AKU donated Rs4 million to the president relief fund and since then have begun efforts to raise more funds. The AKU will also be collecting relief material such as tents, clothes and blankets for the affected families.
PMA: The Pakistan Medical Association has sent medicines, 200 tents, 3000 blankets, 1000 coffins, food items including milk, sugar and biscuits to quake-hit areas.
Three teams of operation theatre technicians, general and orthopaedic surgeons, had also been sent by the PMA to Mansehra under its relief operation. A team of doctors and OT technicians from Karachi will reach Muzaffarbad by Sesna aircraft provided by a donor.
