Karachi, Oct, 23 (PR): A 25-member team of Medical Aid Foundation (MAF) arrived here on Saturday after a four-day camp in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Chhor.
Umerkot and Chhor are extremely neglected and hence deserving areas. Medical camps were conducted in villages as well as ration was given out. Local doctors, volunteers assisted the MAF team during the four-day camp as many as 2200 families were given ration to last for one week.
A total number of 1968 patients were examined. It was sad to see many sick patients coming to the camp at dusk on camel back. The medical camps revealed Hepatitis B. Cerebral Malaria as well as Gastro Enteritis. There is a dearth of medicine and any kind of statistics are not available with the local doctors. The Medical Aid Foundation team of doctors serving a double purpose with their visits to the interior; all the doctors and paramedics and volunteers are briefed regarding the early detection of cancer.
During the medical camps free booklets and pamphlets in Sindh were given out relating to breast cancer and self-examination of the disease. 11 cases of cancer ere detected among which 5 were terminal and 6 in remission. They were brought to Rahatkada for treatment.
Diseases like the guinea worm, caused by stagnating dirty water, were rampant in men, women and children and every 5th female examined was a TB patient. Many families were totally effected. No TB treatment was being given to them. This is an emergency to combat this disease in Mirpurkhas and Thar districts.
Chhor is a border town of the Tharparkar district. The only mode of transport across the vast desert is the “Kekra” a huge truck which transport men, women, children their livestock ad foodstuff. The journey being long and rough has almost no stop overs. The animals defecate and urinate within the truck carrying food and people, hence accelerating the speed of disease.
Rains and floods have created problems of health and hygiene but it has made worse the already existing problems of poverty and neglect at the hands of bigwigs. It is really surprising how their population is still surviving against all odds possible.
The MAF team reported that without the generous and timely assistance of the Deputy British High Commissioner, Karachi, the MAF relief and medical work would have been at a fraction of what it has been.
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