Pakistan Flood Relief 2010-2013

IMI’s Pakistan Flood Relief has provided valuable medical assistance to those suffering in Pakistan where more than 20 million were directly affected by severe floods. IMI organized 30 separate medical camps and mobile units that travel into the hardest hit areas and assisted with the management of the Al Mohsin Hall IDP shelter and clinic.

Imamia Medics International (IMI) has been active in Pakistan since 1994 and was well positioned to respond immediately to the disaster in late July of 2010. With existing resources in place across Pakistan, IMI promptly dispatched emergency medical relief, with its first clinic operating on July 27, just a day after the floods devastated nearly one third of the country.

Under the leadership of the main Pakistan Flood Relief coordinators, Dr. Nafees Hasni (Karachi), Dr. Arif Naqvi (Karachi), Dr. Shafqat Taqi (Islamabad), and Dr. Ali Imran Zaidi (Multan), IMI Pakistan mobilized the entire chapter to bring relief to those affected by the floods. IMI organized multiple medical camps in Layyah, Kroar Lal Easen, Kot Addo, and smaller towns near Layyah, Muzaffargarh and Dadu, Sindh. Each camp had at least 3 doctors, 2-3 paramedical staff and additional volunteers. Our medical teams moved into flood-affected areas with mobile units and on motorbikes to reach those survivors who cannot come to the medical camp.

As the flooding worsened in the country, internally displaced people (IDPs) migrated towards cities like Karachi for aid. With our network of local staff and partners already on the ground -- and years of experience responding to emergencies in Pakistan – IMI was well-positioned to help families in dire need.

IMI also collaborated with other entities to assist with the management of IDP shelters, including the shelter being setup at Al Mohsin Hall in Karachi. On August 17^th, IMI also started a medical clinic onsite to make sure everyone receives adequate treatment and care. Dr. Fakhir, Dr. Hadi Imam and Dr. Mudasir Laiq provided medical attention to 40 IDPs during the first evening, and transported a woman with labor pains to Fatimiyah Hospital.

Over many months, as thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) of Pakistan continued recovery and rehabilitation, IMI stayed committed to enhancing health care access and support. IMI provided $307,585.00 (USD) to support medical services for flood victims and $40,010.00 (USD) for Medics Shelter Homes.

IMI was also a hard advocate to promote an awareness of the suffering and increase the relief and recovery efforts in Pakistan. IMI’s delegation to the 63^rd Annual UN DPI NGO Conference in Melbourne, Australia, advocated for this support and co-authored a consensus resolution to this purpose, agreed on by all 2000 delegates and the UN Under-Secretary-General Akasaka who applauded IMI’s efforts in this regard. IMI delegates were also interviewed and featured in Australian media coverage regarding relief efforts in Pakistan.

We continued our advocacy and awareness promotion of the suffering in Pakistan at our 4^th International and 11^th National Conference. In addition, we raised $101,327 at the National IMI Pakistan Flood Fundraising Banquet for ongoing relief and recovery work in Pakistan, including the building of 25 shelter units to protect families against the dangerous waterborne illnesses during recovery. In 2011, Dr. Barkat Jaferi visits the flood-devastated villages of Basti Saidan and Karor Lal Esan.