Pakistan Red Crescent has dispatched 32-relief trucks loaded with relief items and medicines for the flood victims of Balochistan. The relief items include five tones of medicines, 6000 tents, 8000 blanket, 3500 water filled Jerry canes, 4000 plastic sheets and 3000 hygienic kits worth Rs 60 million.
These relief items were handed over to the representative of Pakistan Red Crescent Balochistan Branch here at a ceremony held here at Pakistan Red Crescent Society National Headquarters. Pakistan Red Crescent Chairman Saeed Ahmad Qureshi said that this is the third consignment that we are dispatching for the flood affectees of Balochistan.
He said that the PRCS is fully responding to the needs of the victims and adding that Pakistan Red Crescent Society assessment teams are in the affected areas and as soon as we receive request from the provincial branches we sent the relief items in the shortest possible time. He said we are dispatching relief items on emergency basis and assured to sent more consignments if needed.
Saeed Ahmed Qureshi said eight medical teams are present in the affected areas that include Dadu, Jhal Magsi, Gawadar, Kharan, Pasni, Katti Bander and Shahdad Kot.
Sindh and provincial branches was actively involved in responding to the flood affectees. He said that Red Crescent Sindh Branch has set up four medical camps in Karachi, Thatta and Badin and 500 to 600 patients are per day visiting these camps.
Three teams of 12 (made up of six provincial headquarters staff and 30 local volunteers) are already in place in the district of Thatta. In Dadu the Red Crescent is also providing relief items to the victims.
Disaster preparedness stocks of non-food items (such as tents, tarpaulins, kitchen sets) for up to 100 families have been put on standby. In both Badin and Thatta, Pakistan Red Crescent is capitalising on community based disaster preparedness training done with communities there late last year.
The provincial branch headquarters in Quetta is actively conducting relief activities in the flood affected areas and the NHQ is fully supporting the branch and a stock of 2000 families has already been sent to the areas as soon the flood-hit the areas. The district branches of Sibi and Jafarabad are also providing assistance to coastal areas.