Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday called upon the volunteers especially the youth all over the country to come forward and supplement the relief and rehabilitation efforts launched by the government in the wake of the massive earthquake.
He was addressing the first batch of volunteers comprising qualified doctors, surgeons and paramedics being despatched to the earthquake affected areas of Mansehra for setting up a medical relief camp.
The Prime Minister said, "People are in a state of shock and trauma and they need to be counselled in a persuasive manner in order to help them come out of the shock effect."
Shaukat Aziz said those who lost their near and dear ones in the natural calamity must be consoled and looked after properly to mitigate their sufferings.
Emphasising the need to carry out the relief work in an organised and disciplined manner, the Prime Minister said the response of the people in the calamity-hit areas has been very encouraging.
He said the spontaneous upsurge of sympathy and support shown by the people was overwhelming.
The Prime Minister urged the volunteers to undertake the relief works in the affected areas in a missionary spirit but with a mature and scientific approach.
He said it was a tragedy of catastrophic magnitude and life can never be the same again for the victims.
The government, however, will spare no effort to rehabilitate them as early as possible, he said.
The Prime Minister commended the volunteerism demonstrated by the people in the face of heavy odds.
He said that evacuation of injured is the immediate priority and asked the volunteers to work shoulder to shoulder with the government agencies in treating the injured and helping the needy.
First batch of 60-volunteers headed by Zafarullah Alavi, mostly drawn from Sheikh Zaid Hospital, Lahore including doctors and paramedics with six ambulances and medicines left for Mansehra on Monday to set up medical relief camp which would be the base camp in that area for co-ordinating medical treatment to the injured.
The ministry of health in collaboration with the ministry of youth affairs is coordinating the voluntary relief efforts.
Minister for Health Nasir Khan and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani were also present on the occasion.
Comments
Comments are closed.