Location: Pakistan - North West Frontier Province (NWFP)

Situation:

The Pakistani military offensive of May 2009 against the Taliban insurgency caused the biggest population displacement in the country's history. Before this crisis, living conditions were already perilous and the health system inadequate. The impact on health that this event had, both on the displaced populations and the residents, who share what little they have, was immediate.

Activities:

Doctors of the World offers comprehensive primary healthcare to the civilian population, both the displaced persons and the residents, bringing with it a  programme of nutritional support and vaccination. This is achieved via four mobile clinics with a qualified national team visiting 12 sites.  Preparation for epidemics has been carried out (monitoring and contingency plans). Attention was particularly concentrated on children under five, pregnant women and women of reproductive age.

As a result of the project 25,000 medical consultations were carried out in the second half of 2009. 306 children were cared for within the nutritional support plan.

Outlook:

In the not too distant future, Doctors of the World is looking to move its mobile clinic activities to new areas depending on the needs and any crises. The aim is to continue to provide primary healthcare in a structurally fragile and economically unsettled area.