**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** Contact:

Crystal Wells
Communication Officer
(310) 826.7800
cwells@imcworldwide.org

As Pakistan’s Displaced Return Home, International Medical

Corps Provides Urgently Needed Primary Health Care and
Psychosocial Services to Returnees
July 16, 2009, Los Angeles, Calif. – International Medical Corps is now providing
primary health care and psychosocial services to returnees in Buner in an effort to
ensure early recovery assistance for the conflict-stricken region. The organization is the
first to provide health services to those returning to their homes in Buner after the
conflict that began on May 3.

An International Medical Corps team is providing services within the District

Headquarters Hospital in Daggar. In its assessments in Buner, International Medical
Corps found the district did not have enough medicine and medical supplies to meet the
need as people returned home. As a result, International Medical Corps is providing the
hospital with essential medicines and supplies, as well as staff, including female doctors
and community health workers who can provide maternal, child, and reproductive health
services.

In a period of six hours, hospital staff saw 182 patients, approximately 50 percent of
whom were women. Most patients are suffering from acute respiratory infections and
acute diarrhea. International Medical Corps is also providing health services at drop-off
points designated for families returning to Swarai via government transport.

“As many of those displaced are now slowly returning, it is critical to make sure that
conditions are not only safe, but also that basic services are available and accessible,”
says Sonia Walia, International Medical Corps Regional Coordinator for Asia. “With
much of the region’s infrastructure destroyed, Buner needs immediate and long-
termassistance with health care, education, and agriculture to encourage people to stay
and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.”

International Medical Corps’ first assessment was deployed Buner on July 1, while a
second team was deployed July 13 to assess the return process and provide health
care services. Since the initial assessment, traffic to the area has increased, as more
and more people begin to return home. However, they are returning to find that much of
the basic infrastructure, like roads and telephone and electric lines, and many schools
were completely destroyed in the conflict. Most of the region’s water supply systems
have been completely destroyed as well, forcing residents to drink from and bathe in
contaminated water systems that can cause outbreaks of diarrhea and other waterborne
illnesses.

International Medical Corps’ early recovery activities in Buner are the latest addition to
its emergency response activities in the region. International Medical Corps teams are
also providing 24-hour medical care for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Chota
Lahore Camp, seeing more than 600 patients each day. International Medical Corps is
also operating four mobile medical units in eight union councils of Swabi serving the
local populations and the displaced residing in the community.

International Medical Corps also has been providing services to those displaced from
related military operations in August 2008 in Peshawar, Nowshehra, Charsadda, and
Lower Dir. Its emergency relief efforts reached more than 50,000 people with services
like health care, water and sanitation, and hygiene promotion.

Millions of civilians have fled the Swat valley since anti-government forces seized
control of Swat’s capital of Mingora on May 3. About a week later the Taliban also
pushed into Buner District, an area just 60 miles from the capital of Islamabad. On June
14, the Government of Pakistan began is offensive in South Waziristan, with continued
fighting throughout the week. Thousands continue to flee the region.

Since its inception 25 years ago, International Medical Corps’ mission has been to
relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease, by
delivering vital health care services that focus on training. This approach of helping
people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance.
For more information visit our website at www.imcworldwide.org.

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