As the number of acute watery diarrhoea cases has increased in Hangu district during the ongoing monsoon season, the independent medical humanitarian association Médecins Sans Frontières is working in collaboration with the local health department.
They have set up a temporary diarrhoea treatment centre, providing quality medical care to the patients More than 300 patients have been treated since July 9. Last year in Hangu alone, the MSF treated 1,611 patients suffering from acute watery diarrhoea.
The MSF has appreciated the support of the Department of Health (DoH), which is allowing it to temporarily use a DoH medical ward as the diarrhoea treatment centre.
As soon as the number of patients decreases to more manageable numbers, the diarrhoea treatment centre will be closed and the medical ward will revert back to its normal function.
The MSF has been working in Hangu Tehsil Headquarter (THQ) Hospital since May 2010. The medical team began its activities by providing free emergency medical care in the emergency room, and then expanded to provide emergency surgical services from July 2010. To date, 18,599 patients have been treated in the emergency room and more than 900 surgeries have been conducted.
The MSF relies solely on private financial contributions from individuals around the world and does not accept funding from any government, donor agency, or from any military or politically-affiliated group for its activities in Pakistan.
