In the wake of earthquake there was an acute shortage of nurses, even though a large number of doctors, physicians and surgeons had reached the disaster areas. It was realised by the aid workers that specific jobs needed specific support to effectively handle the situation.
Therefore, where nurses were needed doctors proved ineffective and vice versa.
In response to an urgent request from the Pakistan Nursing Council AKU nursing team was dispatched to one of the affected areas.
The AKU nurses were the first all female team to reach the field on October 14 to help the victims. Their first job was to console the affected people and take care of women and children who were yet to recover from the shock.
Providing an update on the condition in the disaster areas, Dr Rafat Jan said, " Even though the doctors and nurses had reached the disaster areas, nurses were needed desperately.
Especially in post-operative cases, nursing care is critical in avoiding complications and promoting wellness." Dr Jan said that the AKU nurses worked tirelessly around the clock in 13-hour shifts to provide urgently needed care and support at Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) in Muzaffarabad and looked after hundreds of patients.
Speaking on the role of nurses in disaster situation Dr Jan observed, "When people go through severe trauma, along with medical issues, they go into shock and develop phobias. In such situations, nurses are instrumental in bringing them out of despair and into state of wellness."
Dr Jan recalled countless cases where patients benefited from sympathetic nursing care. In particular, she recalled the heartbreaking of a six-year old girl who was in the field with her father, when her only sister was trapped and died under the rubble in a local school.
The girl lay there with her eyes closed and had not eaten or spoken for days, but when one of the nurses kept on gently calling her name, she opened her eyes and took a biscuit. Her father was close to tears with gratitude.
There was another case of a one-month-old baby who was in the arms of his mother when the earthquake struck and left his mother dead, while he survived without a scratch.
The trauma affected the tiny baby who in shock left feeding and was in a state of 'failure to thrive'.
It was with the continuous care provided by the nurses, which brought the infant out of danger. His grandmother was also trained by the nurses to provide special care to the infant.
In addition to the nursing team, four teams of doctors, surgeons and specialists from AKU have gone to assist in the relief efforts.
AKU's specialised trauma team is stationed in Islamabad since October 11 and the staff is being rotated to keep up with the ongoing requirement for expert care.
Another AKU team is busy helping in disease surveillance for collecting data to control the spread of epidemics, which are expected after such a calamity. One more team is stationed at Ghari Habibullah and is carrying on a mass vaccination project for at risk-children and women.
The AKU doctors are labouring indefatigably to impart on the field care to patients, but where specialised care is required, patients are airlifted to Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. To date five such patients have been treated at the AKU Hospital.
The efforts are a part of the overall Aga Khan Development Network relief assistance through its various affiliates and agencies, which include humanitarian and financial assistance.
AKDN has also provided four much needed helicopters to Pakistan Army, which have been used to provide essential food items to over 25,000 families. FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance, the international emergency relief agency, has mobilised significant medical and relief goods to the northern regions.
Aga Khan Health Service, Pakistan (AKHSP) has also sent teams of medical professionals, including lady health visitors who are presently based in Muzaffarabad and beyond.
The need for medical teams in the entire affected area would continue for a long time as those who have survived the earthquake have developed mental and physical complications that would need proper treatment.
Those who have come from abroad are here for a short period of time and would leave if not tomorrow then day after.
There would be no option than to continue serving all those who are under the influence of this great tragedy.
To meet this requirement the entire health facility in the private and public sectors should pool their resources and on rotation basis offer to serve the marooned people.
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