Mercy Launches 'Track And Treat' Bid To Aid Cut-Off Quake Victims

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Mercy Malaysia, the medical relief organisation, has launched a "track and treat" programme to help victims of Pakistan's massive Oct 8 earthquake who have been cut off by bad weather and heavy snowfall.
Its president Datuk Dr Jemilah Mahmood said Pakistan's military would locate the isolated areas before Mercy volunteers moved in to distribute blankets, supply medicines and replace tents that had collapsed because of the heavy snowfall.
She said this to reporters here today after receiving a donation of RM30,000 from Gerald Charles Watch and Iraqi philanthropist Gilda Bejani in aid of Mercy Malaysia's South Asia Earthquake Appeal.
The money was raised from the sale of raffle tickets organised by the two donors in November last year.
Dr Jemilah said following the launch of the programme, Mercy Malaysia was looking for more Malaysian volunteers to go to Pakistan, especially those who are fit to trek in the snow into remote areas since the living conditions there are tough.
"In some areas, the grounds are covered with snow as deep as three metres," she said.
Dr Jemilah said Mercy Malaysia would also send a volunteer psychologist to Bagh to train local people to ease the emotional trauma experienced by the disaster victims.
"Mercy is working with other international non-governmental organisations as well as the World Health Organisation to train the health care professionals, teachers, leaders and anyone who has influence in the community to deal with the psychological effects of the disaster.
"We will work with the health care staff to make sure they can cope with the situation as they are also victims. From there, we will train the teachers and community leaders. The teachers then can help the kids to cope," she said.