Ministry of Population Welfare has planned to set up a 20-bed health complex exclusively to facilitate pregnant displaced women at Sheikh Shahzad camp this week, an official of the ministry said. Two female doctors and four skilled attendants will be deputed at the hospital initially, the official said.
According to data collected by UNHCR and ministry, 63,000 pregnant women are living in the camps who are deprived of medical facilities. Around 6,000 delivery cases are expected this month, the official informed.
The district hospitals are working in Mardan, Swabi and other areas but they have limited capacity and cannot accommodate more patients than they already have. A delivery centre to be made in the hospital will deal with emergency cases and provide pre-natal and post-natal care to these women. As the temperature rises to 45 degree celsius, these women are facing the scorching heat of summer, which is making the conditions further difficult for them.
The pregnant women are hesitant to avail medical care facilities at the camps as they are steeped in tradition and observe parda. There is always fear of spread of water borne diseases in such conditions and the medical staff is specially prepared to deal with such a scenario.
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