Kurram crisis: Faisal Edhi arrives with medicines; announces air ambulance service

PARACHINAR: People in Kurram district of Parachinar are facing severe difficulties due to the continued closure of the Parachinar-Till main road since October 12. The road blockages have caused a dire shortage of food, medicines, fuel, and other necessities of life.

To facilitate the inhabitants suffering from the humanitarian crisis, Faisal Edhi of the renowned Edhi Foundation visited Parachinar. He was received at the Benazir Airport in Parachinar by the local elders, workers of welfare organisations, and officials of the district administration.

Also read: No respite for Kurram, as road blockages persist

Later, Faisal Edhi made a statement, “We have brought medicines with us. There is a severe shortage of food items and medicines in the region.” He also announced that the Edhi Foundation has started an air ambulance service for the patients in the area.

“The air ambulance service has been started in consultation with the health department,” he said, adding that the critical patients would be transferred from Benazir Airport to Peshawar.

SITUATION IN KURRAM

The road linking Parachinar to other districts has been closed for over two months, which has made it difficult for its nearly 400,000 residents to carry out their daily lives. The situation has become even worse in the past few weeks, as the fresh fruits and vegetables have disappeared from the city because of supply disruptions. There is also severe shortage of fuel, firewood, and other essentials such as medicines.

Speaking to HUM News, locals said that there is an increased risk of deaths as the weather gets more severe while the medicines are not being provided to the hospitals. Rising cold and lack of quality treatment is adding to the difficulties of the medical staff, hospital sources said. Two minors have already succumbed to pneumonia in the last two days, hospital sources said.

Also read: KP CM orders immediate supply of wheat, flour to violence-struck Kurram

A grand Jirga has been going on in Kohat for a week for lasting peace and order. However, a consensus is yet to be reached.

Last week, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had ordered the provincial food authority to immediately provide Kurram with wheat and flour, and to resolve the growing food crisis.

KP GOVT MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE THE SITUATION

The provincial government is in the process of supplying medicines to the Kurram district, said Advisor to the CM on Health Ihtisham Ali, adding that over 20 million medicines have been sent to Kurram so far.

“Medicines weighing 1,800 kg were supplied to Kurram today. Due to the closure of land routes, medicines are being sent through chief minister’s helicopter,” he said.

Also read: Kurram clashes: six more killed, death toll rises to 130

Ali said that it takes some time for securing airport access and for the clearance of medicines. “However, the third batch of medicines and two months of essential vaccines have been delivered to Upper Kurram and Sadda today and their clearance has also been completed,” Ihtisham Ali said.

Consignment containing emergency medicines is being delivered to Sadda and Parachinar District Headquarter (DHQ) hospital Medical Superintendent (MS), Ehtesham Ali said. The health advisor also said that so far no deaths have been reported due to shortage of medicines in Kurram.