Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Fides Service) - Caritas Pakistan has sent emergency teams to help assist earthquake victims in Kashmir. Caritas Internationalis has experts at the site and the international network of Caritas offices plans to sustain organisations operating in both Pakistan and India to distribute aid. “In this first stage special attention must be given to the most vulnerable people”, said Anial Gill, Caritas Pakistan secretary. “People need material aid and also psychological and relations assistance having lost children, parents and other relations”.
Catholic Bishops Conferences have offered assistance. The Italian Bishops’ Committee for Third World Charity has assigned three million Euro for the disaster and is contacting the nuncios and local bishops of the affected areas to arrange the release of the funds.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has made tons of food aid available for tens of thousands of Afghan refugees and for Pakistanis left homeless since the quake. In the region UNHCR has enough supplies to assist 100,000 people and trucks are already on their way from the UNHCR deposit in Peshawar to the badly affected area of Mansehra, North West Frontier province
The World Health Organisation sent medical kits sufficient for 10,000 people for three months to the Pakistan health ministry. Rescue workers continue to search for survivors and many people are in need of emergency medical care. It is also necessary to take steps to prevent diseases caused by unclean water: cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, leptospirosis.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 11/10/2005 righe 29 parole 279)
