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Azra, 21, is a women’s health visitor and nurse working in northern Pakistan. She
works out of an Islamic Relief mobile medical clinic set up to help survivors of
the floods and sees well over 100 patients a day – mostly women and children.
During the early days of the flooding, the most common health problems Azra saw
were skin complaints, eye infections, and diarrhoea. These days, however, respiratory
infections, fever and coughs are now on the increase. Azra attributes this to the
flood-hit environment people are living in taking its toll on their immune systems
as winter draws closer. “The weather is changing now, so we expect to see many more
cases like this.”
The Islamic Relief mobile health clinic has temporarily set up camp in Londa village,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Azra and her colleagues provide female-friendly medical care
to people suffering from a range of health problems which she believes are caused
by “living in dirty conditions, unsanitary conditions.”
“We have been working with the community, distributing clean water and hygiene kits,
cleaning up the environment, and holding hygiene awareness sessions,” she explains.
“As awareness of the importance of hygiene increases, I have seen the cases of diarrhoea
and skin problems gradually reducing.”
Part of Azra’s job as a women’s health visitor is to give her patients valuable
advice on antenatal and postnatal care, the importance of environmental health,
and the protection provided by vaccinations for themselves and their children. She
visits women in their homes too – making sure as many people as possible get to
access the medical care available. Treatment and medication are provided free, and
the team has reported a lot of success in improved health, as well as reduced stress
levels.
“In the beginning people were very stressed and traumatised by their experiences
in the floods and the worry of how they would survive after having their homes destroyed,”
said Azra. “Children in particular were very stressed and afraid that the floods
would come again.
They are much more relaxed now. People here depend on God for help. The support
that people have received from relief agencies has helped alleviate some of their
anxiety, and I think that they have good hope for the future now.”
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