LAHORE, Oct 22: As many as 4,475 truckloads have been sent to the earthquake-hit areas from different parts of the Punjab, while 7,000 victims have been treated in makeshift hospitals, 5,000 at their homes and 4,367 are still under treatment.

According to a report issued by the Punjab Relief Department here on Saturday, 2,544 truckloads had been dispatched by the public sector while 2,221 had been sent with the cooperation of private sector. Different government departments had also sent 290 truckloads of relief goods.

The social welfare department had dispatched 188 truckloads of relief goods to the quake-affected areas and medicines and goods worth Rs600,000 to Social Security Hospital, Islamabad, through the Kot Lakhpat Social Security Hospital. The department also made arrangements for treatment of 220 injured people and their 454 attendants at their residences. Of 187 admitted to Islamabad hospital through the Punjab Employees Social Security Institution, 125 were still undergoing treatment.

The transport department has fixed the fares of trucks and all the regional transport authorities in the province are assisting the people desirous of sending relief goods in hiring trucks at the fixed fares.

The relief department provided Rs3 million to the auqaf department for providing free meals to the quake victims. Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Sahibzada Saeedul Hasan Shah has sent teams of cooks for preparing food for distribution among the victims. The civil defence department sent 611 volunteers to the affected areas who had rescued 8,966 injured people and provided them first aid.

The health department has reserved 11,150 beds in the tertiary and secondary healthcare centres for the treatment of the quake victims. Of 3,584 blood bags stocked, 1,576 had been utilized. As many as 60 truckloads of medicines had also been sent to the affected areas. It has sent 22 medical teams, while 40 teams have been sent on the request of World Health Organization country representative. A team of 13 doctors arriving from the US on the request of the Punjab chief minister was engaged in Azad Kashmir.

The health department has also set up fully-equipped orthopaedic operation centres at Muzaffarabad and Mansehra. As many as 35 victims had been operated upon at the Samli Rural Health Centre. Every patient leaving after treatment in the field hospitals was being provided a tent, 10 days food and a blanket. The Okara district health department had set up a 21-bed hospital in Azad Kashmir. As many as 3,809 patients had been treated in hospitals of Rawalpindi by Oct 19 and 15 had been received at the Lahore airport on Oct 20.

The Punjab police have arranged 1,124 trucks and 499 buses for relief work in the quake-hit areas. They have also sent 81 truckloads of goods and 289 tents to Azad Kashmir. As many as 190 policemen have been sent there for assistance in maintenance of law and order. Of 6,865 tarpaulin provided by the food department, 2,235 have been sent to Mansehra, 2,479 to Murree, 245 to Rawlakot, 536 to Bagh and 1,340 to Muzaffarabad.

DONATION: A Kuwait-based multinational company, Ernest and Young, has donated anti-tetanus vaccines, antibiotics, foodstuffs and 2,000 blankets worth Rs9 million.