Pakistan Reports
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AAI completes refurbishment of Soli health-care clinic AAI received generous donations from dZi Foundation, Shock Records, and Lindfield Cricket Club. These combined funds were designated to run a program that would have significant a meaning to the Pakistan community and in particular have a long lasting affect on the health care system. Therefore AAI decided that these donations would be used in AAI 's community health care program. One of these projects was the Soli health clinic which had suffered partial damaged from the earthquake and was dilapidated from years of neglect. The clinic staff remained at their post and continued to provide health services throughout the emergency period. They operated within this facility working in poor conditions with little pay and resources. Health staff continued to see patients and worked well beyond their capabilities in such rudimentary conditions. Click here to read report. Earthquake Injuries and the Use of Ketamine for Surgical Procedures: The Kashmir Experience Written by J. M. Mulvey, A. A. Qadri, M. A. Maqsood Department of Intensive Care, The Tweed Hospital, Tweed Heads, N.S.W., Australia and Mobile Surgical Team, Pakistan Military, Forward Khahuta, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan The October 8, 2005 earthquake in Northern Pakistan had widespread destructive effects throughout the northern subcontinent. Large numbers of people were killed or severely injured and many medical services destroyed. This report describes the experience of the only standing surgical hospital in the Kashmir region of Bagh District. More than 1,500 people were triaged in 72 hours, many critically injured; 78.4% of patients had upper or lower limb injuries; 50.3% of patients had fractures, mainly closed; 37% of patients required extensive wound debridements. A total of 49 patients received emergency surgery using ketamine anaesthesia with benzodiazepine premedication. This was found to be safe, effective and with a low incidence of major adverse effects. We recommend that ketamine anaesthesia be encouraged in disaster area surgery, particularly in under-resourced regional centres. Click here to read report. |
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Sqiuz summited Everest at 10.45 am 18 May 2006 AAI sponsored Mark "Squiz" Squirrell's Mt Everest attempt in May this year in support of the World Food Program 2006 Walk the World. Mark is a long time associate and supporter of AAI . The expedition raised awareness and funds for their School Feeding Programme. Please have a look at the website http://wfp.org.np/everest/ AAI provided medical equipment, gear and other support to ensure Squiz gets to the top.
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Dr Tom Richards treates a patient in Pakistan
Click here to see a short video (.mov 1MG) of Dr Richards treating a boy and how hard it is it get some patients to cooperate. |
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Clean Up the World - Kahuta, Kashmir From the 7-9 th of March 2006, Australia Aid International (AAI) ran a short Clean Up the World program in Kahuta, Kashmir . Four schools were selected from the Kahuta township to participate in this Clean Up the World program. The program was run in an effort to education students about cleanliness and the preservation of the environment. A local environmental issue in the Kahuta region is litter. The town has no effective system of rubbish collection causing most households and businesses to revert to dumping their rubbish down the hills, or on any portion of land that is not occupied with a physical structure. |
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Some of the hudreds of bags donated by AAI filled with rubbish by helpers on Clean Up The World Day...  |
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The program was split over three days, as shown below.
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Preparation and School Selection A number of schools had short-listed, approximately ten schools, in Kahuta and the surrounding villages. From the list four schools were approached and agreed to participate in a short program during school hours. Mr. Qamar and Miss Melissa visited schools in the Kahuta township and spoke with the Principals with a target of identifying four schools that would be able to participate on either Wednesday or Thursday for a period of 1-2 hours. The four schools visited and selected were Medina-Tult-Ilam School , Government Girls' Model School , Read Foundation and Mehmood Memorial Public Model Secondary School . Mehmood Memorial Public Model Secondary School The AAI staff that attended the Clean Up activities were Mr. Qamar, Melissa Tylee and Miss Anna. Forty-three students from Classes 3 and 4 were selected to participate. The school also nominated 3 staff members to assist and guide the students. After a brief introduction to the Clean Up the World and the activities that were to take place, students formed groups of three students and proceeded to collect one bag per group and a pair of gloves each. All of the students were split into two groups. One group remained on the assembly area/playground and the other group cleaned around the school on the next landing. Students were called back in after one hour. Rubbish was taken to the local dump/collection point. Students were instructed to hand in their gloves and bags and to wash their hands. Once they returned from washing their hands they were given biscuits and juice. |
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Students at Mehmood cleaning the assembly area...
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The students collected twenty-five bags of rubbish from the school property. During the clean up, we noticed that the school have no rubbish bins outside the classrooms and one area of the property was used as a dumping ground. We were able to clear a large amount of rubbish from the dumping area. We have encouraged the school to install one or two rubbish bins outside the classroom. Without such an installation, we doubt that a clean school ground can be maintained. Read Foundation Mr. Qamar, Mr. Liaquat, Miss Anna and Miss Melissa attended the Read Foundation Clean Up the World activities. Upon arrival we were introduced to twenty-five students, both male and female of mixed ages. Students were given their gloves and bags and shown the designated area. The designated area was the pathways around the school. The school does not have a playground, but due to the disgusting state of the pathways the school administration and AAI were eager to have this school partake in Clean Up the World. |
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Students cleaned the areas immediately adjacent to the school building, but the students were not allowed to leave the pathways due to cultural issues and the school's duty of care to the students. The students did a fantastic job to clean the allocated area. Due to the confined nature of the location, students were not required to form groups. After the designated area was cleaned, students we asked to wash their hand before having their snack. However, we were than informed that the school had no hand wash facilities. Students had to go to the nearby Mosque to wash their hands. A hand wash station was delivered to the school the following morning, so that students and faculty could better maintain hygiene conditions at the school. Students managed to collect twelve bags of rubbish. The school took the responsibility of disposing the collected rubbish. The AAI staff were very please with the efforts of the students. Government Girls' Middle School On Thursday 9 th of March, Miss Melissa, Miss Anna, Miss Sasha, Mr. Liaquat and Mr. Qamar attended the Clean Up activities at the Girls' School. The students from Class 7, fifty three students in total, participated in the program. Students were given the gloves and bags. The target area at the school was a strip of land below the main school building that neighbours used as a dumping ground for household waste. Girls from the Government school are briefed about the days activity by AAI staff
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The school already has an informal clean up routine. Some weekends, the Principle and a group of students will collect the rubbish and burn it. However, their efforts have had no affect in reducing the visual and environmental pollution cause by local household rubbish. After a fantastic clean up effort along the boundary of the school, students were asked to clean the upper terraces of the school property. The efforts of the students resulted in a noticeable difference in the appearance of the school. Girls from the Government school begin their work... |
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All AAI staff members were impressed and pleased with the cleaning efforts of the Class 7 students. Due to the school habit of weekend clean ups, AAI will donate some gloves that can be used in to the school. In an effort to combat the problems posed by the dumping of neighbourhood rubbish on school property, Miss Sasha and Anna were able to obtain drums, which will act as rubbish bins, from the Pakistani Army. These drums will be placed in the local community and it is understood that the local authorities will collect and dispose the rubbish from these drums. Medina-Tult-Ilam School
The Principal of this school agreed that the senior boys could participate in the Clean Up program around the two school buildings. The Principal agreed to allow the boys from the senior classes to participate in a clean up on the school grounds of two buildings. The students were split into two groups with each one cleaning a building. The students at Building A cleaned the classrooms and the small courtyard/playground. The other students, who went to Building B, cleaned the classrooms and surrounding grounds of the building. Students at Building B were also able to unblock a drain that was in front of the building. The drain was blocked with an assortment of wrappers from processed foods and the water, in which it was floating, was stagnant and extremely odorous.
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Medina boys cleaning the play ground around Building A...  |
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The students successfully cleaned the selected areas and filled fifteen bags of rubbish, which were than take to the collection point by students. Conclusion Over the two days of Clean Up the World ( Kahuta , Pakistan ), 151 students from four schools filled 92 bags with rubbish. We estimate that students collect 10.2 cubic meters of rubbish, on the assumption that each bag holds 3 cubic feet. The gratitude from teachers and local members of the community is encouraging. However, they are unable to understand fully the logic of the program or the long-term benefits. Although, they did seem to enjoy the vista of land without rubbish. Summary of Project Achievement
While the program has had a fantastic initial success, in that the grounds are clean, it is uncertain if the schools and students will be able to continue to keep the grounds clean. Each school and the students, with whom we worked, have agreed to keep the grounds clean into the future. We do consider the program was successful in achieving some short-term goals and has met a good reception in schools and the local community. Melissa Tylee |
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Lonely Planet Travel Guides founders visit AAI in Pakistan From Tony Wheeler- With a couple of chai stops it took nine hours to drive from Islamabad via Bagh, today one of the epicentres for relief efforts, and up over the Lasdanna Pass to Kahuta. Any Corolla which rolled off Toyota's assembly line between 1975 and 1979 and is still running seems to have ended up in this area of Pakistan. We encountered several of them slipping and sliding, snowchainless, as we approached the summit of the pass in a snowstorm. Disappointingly my GPS indicated that for all that driving in a straight line we'd come just 95 km.
We visited schools, health centres and damaged homes with the AAI crew, but it's clear the recovery work has moved on to stage three. AAI, which arrived on the scene only days after the tremblor, was heavily involved in stage one: pulling survivors out of wrecked buildings and treating the injured.
11-12 March - Buddhas, Batters & Booze The Buddhas
Maureen Wheeler with AAI's CEO Marc Preston and Director of Operations Frank Tyler |
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Posted 24th February 2006 AAI recieves award from Canadian Cardiac PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE DISASTER AND RELIEF EFFORT CANADIAN CARDIAC GROUP'S MISSION To find out what was actually happening in the affected areas in terms of health care at a time when volunteers returning to Canada reported a gap between what relief funding could have accomplished and what was actually happening in terms of health delivery. To determine the feasibility of a health care project that could that could make a substantial contribution, fill a gap created with the departure of several of the NGOs and volunteers, be sustainable and become a model project to replicate in other parts of the affected regions.
Our Fact-finding Mission
UNMET NEEDS Most tents rushed to the region - intended as a stop gap measure - were unsuitable for harsh winter conditions. Of the more than 250,000 tents distributed, 74% were not adequately ‘winterized' as of mid-December.Large gaps remain in the provision of food in both planned and spontaneous camps. People still do not have access to necessary heating equipment, or to appropriate and adequate food to sustain them in freezing temperatures. The World Food Programme estimates that about 40% of those people in need of support are not receiving enough. After our detailed visit,the strategy for rehabilitating the Earthquake devastated region, we believe is best summarized in the words of Prince Amyn AgaKhan, when he spoke at the International Donor's conference in Islamabad, on the 20 th of Nov. 2005: Requalifying the habitat, in particular public buildings, and individual homes, through training and education in seismic-resistant construction; physical planning for urban and rural settlements; reviewing building codes and practices; and building institutional and civil society capacity to ensure that the consequences of any future earthquakes can be mitigated to the greatest extent possible. Community mobilisation for rehabilitation and socio-economic development, including support for re-establishing agricultural, livestock and related activities; as well as disaster preparedness and response, which is especially crucial in a region that remains naturally fragile. Providing and helping set up community-based healthcare and training programmes, including in-service training, of health and education professionals to serve remote and isolated communities. Strengthening education curricula to equip young people and, through them, families and communities, to prepare and respond to disasters. Helicopters, and in due course tilt rotors, are likely to remain the most immediate means of access to the remotest settlements in the area. AKDN will offer its continued air support through its Pakistan-based helicopters, and others in the region if necessary, as well as assistance to improve the quality and safety of vital air transport infrastructure, including, for example, helicopter landing pads, approach guidance systems, refuelling bases, updating maps to indicate cables across gorges and other helicopter hazards, and landing facilities immediately adjacent to hospitals and medical centres. We sincerely hope that the international community will respond generously to the appeal for support for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction in the areas that have suffered such vast devastation from the earthquake, and that the commitments made, and realised, will be a strong foundation on which the people will be able to build and to enhance their capacity for self reliance and advancement. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? The quantity and quality of the relief effort must be scaled up to address gaps and needs, while ensuring that all humanitarian agencies understand and apply humanitarian principles in the delivery of relief assistance. Coordination needs to be improved in order to address the gaps. UN agencies must provide the necessary leadership in identifying the appropriate actors to fill these gaps. The UN, donors and the Government of Pakistan must include NGOs in strategic coordination mechanisms for relief and recovery planning and delivery. Better camp management in many of the spontaneous camps is urgently needed. Policies and roles in camp management – which impact on the coordination of delivery of relief in camps – need to be clearly defined and fully supported at all levels, ensuring that clear and transparent policies are fully implemented and communicated to all those responsible for delivering relief. The UN needs to ensure that any lack of clarity on camp management does not damage coordination of relief assistance. The UN relief operation continues to be plagued by a poor response from international donors. The UN fund has only 56% of the total required to sustain the relief efforts through the winter. Donors have generously pledged a large amount to the Government of Pakistan's relief and reconstruction efforts. But these pledges must be fulfilled quickly. Australian Aid International. (AAI) work in Bagh District AJK AAI uses a strategic comprehensive community health care model as the foundation for health care programs. It has been built on the concept of the main key areas of health interventions and focuses on capacity building and support of the local health care infrastructures. Firstly, the model is used to examine and provide solutions at the community level where socio-economic and political marginalized people may not have access to primary health care. The model then seeks to provide interventions to the primary and, where appropriate, secondary health care systems. Through the provision of primary health care, public health, community health, and specialized medical care programs, AAI aims to increase fair and equal access to health care for underserved populations. By not only matching, but also surpassing existing access to, and delivery of health care, AAI strives to lower morbidity and mortality for populations indirectly and directly affected by institutional neglect or disaster events. AAI strives to use concepts of sustainability on all programs, and evidence-based research to evaluate the efficacy of our interventions. AAI Initiatives in Earthquake Zone • Revitalization of primary health care facilities RECOMMENDATION #1 The excellent work of AAI be recognized by all in the health care delivery field and further collaboration and facilitation should be afforded to AAI by the other health care agencies. We recommend an “AAI Health Education Component” as part of all RHC /BHU's and other health care facilities in the region. RECOMMENDATION #2 We recommend an organizational, academic and research collaboration between AAI/ AKHSP/ AKU to further develop, appropriate health education / community health delivery tools for the developing world. |
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AAI joins Clean Up the World Australian Aid International becomes a Member of the community-led global environmental campaign, Clean Up the World, joining the estimated 35 million volunteers in over 100 countries around the world who clean up, fix up and conserve their local environment “In March we will be organising a number of Clean Up events in Pakistan to improve the environment and reduce the impact of waste” said Marc Preston the CEO of AAI. “Our aim is to initiate a small events and capacity build other NGO's, organisations where we have been working since the Oct 8 earthquake which devastated Kashmir and the North Western Frontier Province . We hope to have the support of as many people in the community as possible. Australian Aid International is proud to be cleaning up our part of the world and we urge everyone to join us and make a real difference,” continued Marc Preston Clean Up the World Chairman and Founder, Ian Kiernan AO congratulated Australian Aid International on joining Clean Up the World and on their plans to clean up their local environment. “I wish AAI a successful campaign. Congratulations for taking the first step towards making your community a cleaner healthier place for all to enjoy. AAI is an excellent example of how we can all make a difference in helping solve the world's environmental problems by taking action on a local level,” said Mr Kiernan . In 2006 Clean Up the World is encouraging participants to pay particular attention to the state of the world's cities and urban communities. Members are encouraged to focus on creating greener cities and communities by looking at their streets, parks, waterways and roadways and how they can reduce the impact of waste within their community. Clean Up the World originated in Sydney , Australia in 1993 and is held in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The campaign brings together businesses, community groups, schools, governments and individuals to undertake activities to improve water quality, clean up local streets, parks, waterways and forests and educate children about the environment. Globally, the campaign's Patron is Fondation d'Enterprise Veolia Environnement and the Global Media Partner is National Geographic Channels International. Qantas is the Official Airline and Sponsor and the Australian Government, through its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a Supporter of Clean Up the World. Groups, organisations, businesses and communities around the world can register as a Member with Clean Up the World by visiting www.cleanuptheworld.org or phoning +61 2 9692 0700 or emailing world@cleanup.com.au. |
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| Posted 22nd February 2006
Lindfield District Cricket Club organises charity cricket game and proceeds go straight to Pakistan On January 26th 2006, Lindfield District Cricket Club organised a charity cricket game with all proceeds going straight to Pakistan. It was excellent social event for the members of the club, which will be remembered long into the club's future. An great time was had by all. It is sometimes difficult to motivate the public to recognise the difficulties others in the world face, in a manner that is not offensive or otherwise pompous. We don't have to be ashamed of living in a great country full of terrific people, and enjoying all the advantages it brings, but that is sometimes the thrust of other campaigns. An event people can enjoy for it's own pupose, but still help others in doing so, is relatively rare. The event was also carried out with that most Austrlian of attributes, good humor. Lindfeild District Cricket Club's donationsI will be used. As in the shelter project, in this case, is probably closest in keeping with donors intentions for their contributions. This would mean using this money to allow very remote communities to have solid, safe housing, where none is available now. The temperatures are normally below freezing in the areas we cover, and each shelter, in these cicumstances, allows a family to effectively live through the winter, which will last until June. LDCC hats will be handed out to these villages. AAI wish to thank all members of the Lindfeild District Cricket Club, the hardworking committee and president and family and friends who helped this event be the success it was. I personally thank you for the good will and hospitality shown me. |
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| The Lindfield Cricket club boys line up for a photo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Lindfield District Club Commitee members and Nathan Mullins form AAI (second from right) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cricket set distribution Through the generous donation of funds from the Lindsfield Cricket Club AAI wanted to use the donations on an appropriate program that would have significant meaning and linking of Australian and Pakistan communities, in particular the cricket communities. It was therefore decided that the Lindsfield donations could be used within AAI 's school education program. Currently AAI are providing hygiene education, water and sanitation, and supplementary feeding programs to eighteen schools in the Kahuta sub-district. All of which have been severely impacted by the earthquake. Although school classes have now resumed conditions are far less than perfect. Children have not had adequate hygiene and many families have been unable to provide children with adequate nutrition. Although these problems were in existence prior to the earthquake, the disaster has only contributed to the affect of these problems. To reward the schools for their willingness to improve conditions of students, AAI felt it appropriate to use Lindsfield donations to buy cricket sets for distribution to schools for children's activities. A cricket sets comprise two bats for varying age groups, 2 sets of wooden stumps, and a set of 3 tennis balls. The amount of sets provided per school is dependant of the number of students. To date AAI have distributed cricket sets to 3 schools. The distribution is to coincide with hygiene and feeding programs. After each donation AAI organises a cricket game with the students. It is planned that once all schools within AAIs target population have received the cricket sets AAI , in collaboration with the Kahuta government officials and the Pakistan military, will organise a competition match between all the schools. The winning teams will be awarded with prizes consisting of further cricket equipment. It is envisaged that the cricket set school distribution will be completed by the end of February 2006 and the school cricket completion to be undertaken not long afterwards when the weather has improved and the sports field (with no grass) is not muddy anymore. Program Costs Program costs have included 100% costs for the procurement of the cricket sets plus a proportion of the field operational support costs which include, field office support costs, local staff hire and, vehicles and maintenance. |
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Logistics Coordinator, Michael Mchale and the AAI education team preparing to go to earthquake affected schools and distribute Lindsfield Cricket Club donated cricket sets. |
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AAI Director of Operations, Frank Tyler starts off the first match with school children using the new donated cricket sets. |
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A cricket match organised by a school who have recently received cricket sets donated by Lindsfield Cricket Club. |
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School Captains' gratefully receive donated cricket sets to add to the schools minimal supply of sports equipment. |
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Pakistan National Immunization Day AAI Team Members Involved
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Pakistan DHO/THQ Coordinators
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Target Population
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AAI Team Actions 3 rd February
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4 th February
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6 th February Proposed Actions Complete final school, Government Boys School Kahuta, for immunizations (school had been closed on 4 th February). Possible mop-up campaign to reach those children absent from school on 4 th February (18 children total). Possible monitoring and supervision of other field immunization sites and activities as determined by Mr. Aslam. Meeting with Mr. Aslam at THQ Hospital for review of activities, return of unused vaccines for maintenance of cold chain, and final assessment of program. |
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Neena Rohs , MD MSTPH |
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AAI has sponsored Mark "Squiz" Squirrell's Mt Everest attempt AAI has sponsored Mark "Squiz" Squirrell's Mt Everest attempt in May this year in support of the World Food Program 2006 Walk the World. Mark is a long time associate and supporter of AAI . The expedition will raise awareness and funds for their School Feeding Programme. Please have a look at the website http://wfp.org.np/everest/ AAI will be providing medical equipment, gear and other support to ensure Squiz gets to the top .... Australian Aid International Delegation to Quetta On Friday 19 January 2006 a delegation of representatives traveled to Quetta in Pakistan to discuss the implementation of a Province wide Disaster Management Plan. The delegation comprised of Marc Preston (CEO), Ahmed Saeed (AAI Karachi), Dr. Akhtar Khan (AAI Quetta) and James Judge (AAI HQ). They met with the most senior members of Government located in the city of Quetta , including:
Their trip to Quetta was aimed at offering support to the planning, implementation and coordination of Provincial, District and City Disaster Management Plans. The delegation attracted significant media and public attention and made the front page of The Balochistan Times. All the parties to the range of discussions expressed their belief that this marks a positive change towards a culture of preparation rather than one of reaction.
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Their trip to Quetta was aimed at offering support to the planning, implementation and coordination of Provincial, District and City Disaster Management Plans. The delegation attracted significant media and public attention and made the front page of The Balochistan Times. All the parties to the range of discussions expressed their belief that this marks a positive change towards a culture of preparation rather than one of reaction. |
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AAI Collaborate With a Canadian Consulting Group Who Have Been Highly Impressed With AAI 's Strategic Plan of Health Recovery In The Earthquake Affected Areas of Northern Pakistan. While participating at the Health Cluster Meeting at the UN Camp in Bagh in the second week of January, AAI was pleased to meet the members of a Canadian consulting group. The members, linked through the Canadian group Comprehensive Cardiac Care, had been invited on behalf of the Government of Pakistan to assess the health care situation post-earthquake and present further recommendations on program interventions and needs. The Canadian group was extremely impressed with the work of AAI here in Haveil Tehsil, Bagh District, and wished to put forward the recommendation to the Government of Pakistan that AAI's plan be used as a model for primary care programming and for humanitarian organizations in the future. AAI and the Canadian members deeply share the sentiment that the recent natural disaster should be viewed as a true opportunity to bring support and assistance to areas that were underserved to start. Having moved quickly away from direct provision of care, AAI works in direct conjunction with the District Health Office-supported primary health care facilities in the area of Haveli sub-district. AAI serves to revitalize and improve the existing health care infrastructure for 12 health facilities, serving a catchment area of over 140,000 beneficiaries. AAI aims not only to restore the levels of health care delivery to pre-disaster standards, but also to improve and raise the standards of care for these poverty-stricken village populations. Through comprehensive public health and community health programs, AAI plans extensive education and training in keeping with Pakistan Ministry of Health standards for all levels of care providers. These programs, based on needs assessment of health care providers, focus on maternal health, child health, nutrition, hygiene, and diagnosis and treatment of the area's most prevalent preventable illnesses. AAI also identified training and strengthening of disease surveillance and reporting systems for notifiable diseases as the absolute first priority for intervention. In addition, AAI aims to bring evidence-based research directly into the field in order to improve treatment of those diseases accounting for a majority of morbidity. Specifically, AAI is focusing on the usage of zinc in the treatment of acute watery diarrhea, and the usage of iodized oil capsules to lessen the impact of goiter in a heavily endemic area. |
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AAI/WHO/DHO Training AAI Team Members Sasha Poll, Medical Coordinator, and Dr. Neena Rohs, Medical Director, attended the WHO Training in Outbreak Control in Bagh on Wednesday 28 Dec 2005 . AAI was the only NGO present at this event. Also in attendance: WHO Head of Office Dr. Patricia Kormoss, WHO Disease Surveillance Advisor Dr. Zeidan, WHO Diseases Surveillance Coordinator Dr. Musa Raheem, Head of DHO for Bagh District Dr. Latif, and the surveillance investigative teams for each of the three subdistricts of Bagh. As the Haveli Tehsil area is within AAI's AO and is remote in location, AAI has been asked by WHO to lead and facilitate the early warning and response for this area. This training covered topics of outbreak identification, response, laboratory confirmation, and control. All of WHO notifiable diseases were discussed. AAI's Health Program has made disease surveillance and reporting the first priority for the six-month training and education project.
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AAI Distribution of Winterized Tents AAI is working in conjunction with IOM and WHO to distribute and construct winterized tents to 6 Health Facilities in Haveli Tehsil, Bagh District. The list of these facilities, originally compiled by IOM and WHO, was confirmed by AAI with the ADHO, Dr. Quddus, prior to distribution. These facilities include:
On Thursday 29 December, AAI team members successfully distributed three tents to the following facilities: Tungari, Badhal Sharif, and THQ Hospital . AAI hopes to complete the remaining distributions in the next week, weather-permitting. These tents are to be used for clinic purposes only during the upcoming winter months. WHO plans to have prefabricated units to replace these tents in the near future. |
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| Setting up the tent at Tungari | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Head Dispenser, Tungari Clinic, outside his new tent facility. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| THQ Hospital , Kahuta, with new tent facility. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| AAI team members: Bill Rohs, Site Manager, and David Wegman, Emergency Shelter Officer. Other AAI team members involved: Gordon Willcock, Emergency Shelter Officer, Sasha Poll, Medical Coordinator, and Dr. Neena Rohs, Medical Director. |
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Distribution of Winterization Kits The wide-spread and indiscriminate destruction of houses in the Bagh District had forced many to relocate to tent villages in the more open grounds of the lower valley. The tents, unprepared for snow, suffered a rude awakening over the New Year as the first snow hit the lower lying areas of Bagh. With a taste of the harsh winter to come, winterization kits, consisting of sheets or tarpaulin, rope, and a number of heavy duty blankets were prepared by IOM for distribution to the needy. |
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Direckt Hilfe (Direct Help), an Austrian funded NGO, sought out AAI to assist with the Distribution of kits to 150 families of the Bagh and Topi Union Councils. The distribution took place at Sadar Qumar Zaman's residence, a former Minister for Eductaion and thanks to the smooth co-ordination from local village leaders all went well. Those who received the kits were extremely thankful to DH and AAI for our joint venture to assist in the preparation for winter. |
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Posted 23 December 2006 SOCIAL REHABILITATION AAI is supporting research into the effects that the Pakistan earthquake has had on the social structure of the community and how people are responding under the conditions of this disaster. AAI will be working closely with Waheed Ahmed (MPhil fellow),Anthropology Department , Quaid-i-Azam University , Islamabad to undertake this valuable research. Attached is Waheed's concept paper for your perusal. Paul would you be good enough to announce it on our website and circulate as appropriate. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE /CONCEPT PAPER
COMMUNITY REFORMATION UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF DISASTER/STRESS: IN CONTEXT WITH SOCIAL REHABILITATION (A CASE STUDY OF AN EARTHQUAKE HIT AREA): On October 8 th a disastrous earthquake hit the northern frontier part of Pakistan and Kashmir . It killed many thousands people and destroyed the total infrastructure including houses, roads, schools and hospitals etc. Before the earthquake people lived in an established at least familiar social set up. In this set up people had their role and status which was determined through a number of factors that included the location and type of residence, the ownership of land and property, the type and strength of family and kinship, etc. This social system influenced and regulated all the day to day affairs of the community that is called lain dain and ghammi khoshi that range from resolving disputes to arranging of marriages or affairs relating to death, religion and politics. It is not only houses and physical infrastructure that has been destroyed by the earthquake about which every body is talking it is also the families, the homes, the kinship system, the social structure and social networks in short the whole social fabric of the society that has been disturbed. There are people who are dead, disabled, injured, or at least dislocated. Owing to the student of MPhil Anthropology, I feel my responsibility to know the effects that this earthquake has had on the social structure of the community and how people are responding under the conditions of this disaster. In this the local knowledge or view point about the rehabilitation and reconstruction (keeping the social conditions intact) could be asked and incorporated in the whole struggle of rehabilitation. This knowledge could be utilized by the Govt. or other agency interested in the rehabilitation of the affectees. For this I would like to do following things • Select a locale/community that has been affected by the earthquake to stay there for certain period of time • Extract the pre-earthquake social structure of the community • Find out the effects that earthquake has made on the community • How the community is behaving under different sever conditions and whether there is some type of social organization emerging? • Find out the process of relief and rehabilitation including the analysis of Aid different agencies had made. • And see lastly the local view point about the rehabilitation and reconstruction POLICY IMPLICATIONS: As far the news now every body especially Govt. is talking about the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of the affectees. This rehabilitation seem very much in the material terms i-e making houses in the shape of colonies, constructing roads, schools, hospitals etc etc. It is very good that you construct but the problem lies in the ignorance and putting aside the cultural and social dimensions of the rehabilitation and knowing about their previous existing social structure. The idea of social reconstruction and rehabilitation could be incorporated in rehabilitation efforts. This is an attempt at restoring the social community as near as possible to the pre-earthquake position particularly at places that have been totally destroyed and where reconstruction is being planned at new places. Thanks |
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AAI tells it like it is While people are home enjoying their latte strips, watching pretty people go by and deciding on how they will waste their money on the weekend, there are the lone relief workers who work in the most desperate and remote regions of the world. Everyday they battle, weather, the elements, threats of being killed, a lack of the basic living conditions that we would expect at home etc etc. AAI are now working in one of these areas of Pakistan. A group of volunteers who have donated their own money, time, and resources to help those communities affected by the earthquake the world has forgotten. Sure there are a lot of Non-Government Organisations (NGO's) out there doing really good work. Many are not suffering any hardships, not spending there own money. Some may even be enjoying the colonialist life styles that many humanitarian aid workers have come to expect. AAI see these inequalities and use all of their resources on the people in most need. While many in the NGO community enjoy the autumn sun in the low valleys of Kashmir, AAI are operating at 3000m in extremely cold weather. The same as for the people that we are assisting. We work on the Pakistan-India 'Line of Control' where at anytime instability in the political situation could make us targets and casualties of the age long conflict. We work in areas where landmines have shaken loose and are a danger when we go to remote villages. Even driving to the remote areas is dangerous itself with very poor roads, crazy drivers, and the threat of further landslides. The lone relief workers live a difficult life. And for what reward? Someone once wrote that "the satisfaction of doing a job well done is just doing it. “So next time people have a thought of Pakistan and the devastation to thousands of lives, they should also have a thought of the people on the 'real' front line and the real grass routes organisations. Some people say if it so hard, then why do you do relief work? We do it because we all have a sense of happy those less fortunate than ourselves. We are not complaining by any means and we don't even want any recognition. We actually like when what we do is hard but it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt. The only thing all of us want is the ability to continue helping the victims of the earthquake. And we can't do it all by our selves. Our program that is assisting thousands of earthquake affected people is dangerously close to shutting down as we are running out of operational funds. Some organisations are complaining that they have only received some millions of dollars instead of hundreds of millions. They may have huge overheads but they have funds to continue. AAI, who though are small, have a huge footprint in Kashmir and if we do not continue to assist people in the areas that we are operating in then no one else will go to these most difficult areas. Any donation counts. Even if it keeps us going for a few more weeks so that we can provide much needed medical aid and emergency shelters. In this instances be assured that donations are going directly to the beneficiaries. Frank Tyler |
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Posted 6th December 2005 An update on Relief & Rehabilitation in District Bagh , which tops Housing Destruction (92%) According to the Preliminary Damaged Assessment Report ( pdf ) of the World Bank , 63% of AJK and 23% of NWFP (total 25,265 sq. KM) was devastated by the earthquake which adversely affected life of some 5.4 million people – 3.6 million in 8 districts of NWFP and 1.8 million in three districts of AJK. The highest ratio of housing destruction was in Bagh , i.e. 92%. Notably, many of the habitations in district Bagh are also among those located at very high altitude with a little or NO road links, reachable only by walking on foot for ten kilometres and more! I was among a few who could reach Bagh with relief within 3 days of the earth quake, my employer sent three truck-loads of relief material and an excavator to dig out dead bodies from the rubbles in Bagh city. My two subsequent visits to Bagh were sort of fact finding which I reported at www.risepak.com searchable on key words, “status report”, “ Koteri Najam ”, “Kotehri Najam ”. I re-visited Bagh on 30 and 31 Dec 2005 , this time to receive compensation for my destroyed house in village Koteri ( Kotehri ) Najam Khan. This village is within Union Council Bagh , is spread over many miles with dwellings at an altitude between 1000 meters to 2,500 meters from the sea level. Out of ten villages of Union Council Bagh , the ratio of deaths and injuries were the highest in the Bagh Union Council comprising ten villages – 164 deaths (70.73% children u/12 years) and 45 injuries (73% children u/years). However, I was disappointed to find that disbursement has been postponed for want of funds – reportedly Rs 40 million have been over-paid in some village and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) wanted to sort out the issue before requisitioning more funds! People of my large village have been left on the hands of market forces, many of these have been provided with low quality tents, hardly sufficient for large family. Other means of shelter have yet to reach this village, none of them have received the promised compensation for destroyed houses and for this purpose all of them have been left to face leashing market forces. Having failed to get compensation for my destroyed house, I availed the opportunity in gathering first-hand knowledge on disaster management in district Bagh ; I had two detailed meeting with DC Bagh (first one at 2300 hours); next day I visited some villages and helped some poor fellows in getting tents and nothing else! The DC Bagh is a young officer of robust stamina and seems to be one of the ablest and most hard working government officers I have met during my 57 years life. He has his office in a tent and remains available during 8 am to 3 am in the next morning. He coordinates R&R work with Army high ups, NGOs/other actors and beneficiaries but his role stand severely hampered. However, hard work of DC Bagh is not much fruitful because of many administrative difficulties, chiefly due to lack of effective information dissemination and proper follow up action for want of staff – strength and competence. Resultantly, district Bagh has been exposed to dangerous social upheaval – most of the relief material ends up in unscrupulous hands, NGOs pay lot of cash to those who work for them; most of the government employees have not resumed their duties and are working for NGOs in complete disregard to government rules; poor beneficiaries have serious complaints against RR management; compensation for dead/injured is paid through cheques but this work does not progress smoothly due to staff shortage and proverbial official red-tape while compensation for destroyed house has been hampered through overpayments to influential people. As per official statistics, 164 people died and 45 were in my village ( Koteri Najam ) while destruction of houses is around 95%. No compensation for destroyed houses have been paid so far very little relieve is available in this village and others in close proximity of Bagh town as relief managers concentrate on distant villages. Most of the able bodied male members of this and many other villages are away on employment and women/fold folks and children cannot travel for 3+ KM to draw relief by standing in Qs for hours. Economic activities in the area remain at standstill, commercial vehicles are hardly found on roads, labour and other cost have gone up by 600% and disadvantaged people have been rendered by the circumstance to begging or starvation and living under open sky without proper bedding and clothing. The influential and well connected ones have hay days and they are busy in wheeling and dealing with Relief and Rehabilitation Work managers. Need be that RR work is managed through a central command always available to the beneficiaries composed of representatives from grassroots, civil/army administration and aid agencies. Currently, junior Army officials are in charge of relief goods supply points, senior officers mostly remain unreachable to wretched victims, civil administration is badly incapacitated and relief agencies are misdirected by unscrupulous social elements. A strong need is felt of an efficiently managed Relief & Rehabilitation Coordination Centre where real time information is available to ensure quick reach-out to victims and avoid misuse of available resources. DC Bagh was kind enough to appreciate my point and I am working on a proposal implementation of which will optimize efficiency of the RR work in district Bagh . Those interested, may like to contact me at 03008546900 or email to aeionline@yahoo.com Let us coordinate to make best use of the efforts in carrying out the RR work in befitting manner so that benefits of the donors' money are taken to those who deserve such benefits the MOST. |
Tom Richards is an emergency medical doctor in the residency program at Highland General Hospital, the county trauma and medical referal center for Oakland, CA. He graduated from Harvard Medical School and has worked in South Asia before in Bangladesh. His interests include International Emergency Medicine and Ultrasound. 
The Australian (and one American) aid workers and their Pakistan support staff from Australian Aid International have shacked up in a house near the centre of Kahuta (aka ‘Forward Kahuta') just a few km from the ‘Line of Control' which divides the Pakistan slice of Kashmir from the Indian version. This is the first time since Partition, which separated India and Pakistan back in 1948, that foreigners have been allowed into this sensitive border region. They're still treated with curiosity, in particular the Cubans who set up a number of field hospitals. Castro had offered to send them to New Orleans post-Katrina, Bush said ‘no thanks' and as a result they were ready to go when the quake hit. 
Stage two involved reopening roads and repairing bridges and finding temporary shelter for the homeless. There were lots of Pakistan army in the region, courtesy of the ongoing border tension with India, and by all reports they made repairs with commendable speed. Temporary shelter came next, helped along by a surprisingly mild winter. AAI distributed more than a thousand IRAWS (Improvised Rapid All Weather Shelters), simple constructions of corrugated iron and sandbags designed by an Islamabad architect. Tent cities also popped up right across the region and today most children are attending school in tent classrooms. School buildings were particularly prone to collapse in the earthquake and children constituted 50% of the deaths. 
Now it's stage three, rebuilding, and unfortunately bureaucracy is slowing down this phase. The Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) stipulates that houses must be rebuilt to earthquake proof standards to qualify for the maximum 150,000 rupees (about US$2,600) grant and establishing the standards and dispensing the money looks like taking a long time. What Pakistan could do with right now is a bunch of Californian building engineers, experts on earthquake proof construction. 
Batters 
Tomorrow we head up to the earthquake zone. Already we're confirming what most visitors find out when they visit Pakistan – forget the media reports, the people are friendly and it's a terrific country to visit. 
Anna Dyer, RN RM
