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| October 17, 2005 | Monday | Ramzan 12, 1426 |
Providing tents and food main challenge: Haq
PESHAWAR, Oct 16: NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq visited the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar on Saturday where he inquired about the health of those people who were injured in the earthquake.
He was told that 180 injured people from the worse-hit districts of Kohistan, Abbottabad, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad had been taken to the hospital but later many of them were discharged and shifted to the temporary residential camps of the government.
He was told that 70 of the injured were still at the hospital and most of them were being treated at the orthopaedic ward due to bone injuries; however, a number of injured were being treated in the neuro-surgery ward where three were admitted in the ICU ward because of their condition being serious.
He was told that a seriously injured child succumbed to his injuries and expired the other day. Similarly, a seriously injured woman from the Mulagori Khyber Agency also died.
The senior minister was told that philanthropists and welfare organizations were contributing towards the welfare of the injured and the sick and were also providing warm clothes for them.
The senior minister along with other officials concerned went to each and every patient inquiring about their health and the facilities being provided by the hospital management.
Mr Haq assured all patients that no efforts would be spared regarding their proper treatment.
He said the government was aware of the fact that over 2 million people had been affected by the earthquake and many people were still living under the open sky and facing hardships such as rain and cold weather.
He said that the people and volunteer organizations from all over the country were working side by side with the government in providing relief to the needy.
He said that thousands of volunteers were working in the affected areas. Similarly, 4,000 volunteers of the Al-Khidmat Foundation were working in the affected areas providing relief to the people.
He said that the number of helicopters providing relief had been increased and horses and ponies were also being used to reach the far-flung villages in the mountains.
He said there was a great shortage of tents and the government was utilizing all resources to arrange as many tents as it could for those needing shelter.
He said accommodation and food were the main challenges being faced by the government but it would be resolved soon because the entire government machinery had been streamlined for the purpose.
Mr Haq was accompanied by Provincial Health Minister Inayatullah Khan, Secretary Health Abdus Samad Khan and Chief Executive of Lady Reading Hospital Dr Abdus Samad.
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