LAHORE, Jan 13: A group of doctors led by Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) Principal Prof Javed Akram vowed to draw on their experience from helping earthquake survivors in Balochistan when they head to Gaza next month.

The 52-strong team will, furthermore, be prepared for treating severe burns from the use of phosphorous weapons – an illegal weapon which Human Rights Watch accuses the Israeli Defence Force of unleashing upon the civilian population of Gaza.

This was announced at a press conference arranged at the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday, in which Prof Akram called upon the general public to donate to the cause and urged the Punjab government to pass a resolution to back the project.

“As doctors, we are especially aware of our responsibility and feel guilty standing by and not doing anything,” he said.

Dr Mahboob Iqbal, who is chairman of Jinnah Hospital’s board of management, said every bomb dropped and every death caused was being felt keenly by Pakistanis.

Prof Akram said his team, consisting of physicians, surgeons and paramedics, was in touch with a Red Cross group in Gaza as well as a Malaysian medical team that was presently at Rafah, a town on the Egypt-Gaza border where his team also hoped to set up a camp.

He said blood, antibiotics, medicines and stretchers were urgently needed to assist the 11,000 or so injured.

A burns surgeon would also be on hand to deal with the victims of phosphorous weapons. They hope to rent a building in Rafah for four months, with teams coming and going in two-week shifts.

The team would draw upon their experiences from the Balochistan earthquake, he said. From his previous visits to Gaza, Prof Akram surmised that both the situations bore the hallmark of “total destruction”.

The press conference was given a human touch by the presence of two Palestinians -- Muhammed, a final-year student at the King Edward Medical University originally from Gaza, and Dr Jamil, dental surgeon from the West Bank.

Muhammed said: “Thanks God none of my family members or friends has died so far, but the fighting affects us all. We’re very grateful to this team for their efforts.”

He said what appeared on the news was only a fraction of the true horror, as foreign journalists were being prevented from entering Gaza.

Despite their bold words, the Pakistani medical team faces a hard struggle to secure the funding required to make trip a reality. They have so far procured Rs6 million, though Prof Akram is hoping to raise Rs900 million. For this purpose, they have opened an account (12447900-200506) in HBL’s AIMC branch for donations.

Prof Akram said the teams’ visas were pending with the Egyptian embassy. He shrugged off security concerns, saying it would be an honour to die in medical service.

SOLIDARITY WALKS: Students and staff of the AIMC will hold a walk to show solidarity with Palestinians starting from the MS Office in Jinnah Hospital at 1pm on Wednesday (today).