What we are doing

Some areas in the North-West Frontier Province are still experiencing fighting. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Pakistan Red Crescent Society continue to bring life-saving aid to people in the area affected by the crisis. Along with other Movement partners they plan to help at least 380,000 displaced people in the coming weeks and months with food, shelter, health, water and sanitation services.

The Red Cross is also helping families who choose to return home, but emphasises that return must be voluntary, based on  people’s own assessment of the situation in their home areas, set against the conditions in the camps and in their host communities.

Emergency response activities

Our emergency response activities include:

• running camps for tens of thousands of displaced people
• distributing food and other essential goods, such as soap and medical supplies, to 260,000 people in the camps as well as those staying with host families
• re-establishing family links between displaced people and their relatives.

Many displaced families have lost touch with relatives because of the fighting. ICRC staff are delivering messages for them and letting them make free telephone calls.

In the camps, water and sanitation teams are restoring access to clean water and work is ongoing to ensure dignified conditions, including showers and community kitchens.

The ICRC hospital for the weapon wounded in Peshawar is providing care for up to 90 patients and performing hundreds of operations on patients evacuated from the areas of fighting. The Pakistan Red Crescent is operating three ambulances to bring patients requiring urgent care to Mingora Hospital. One ambulance is fully equipped and staffed with medical doctors to treat patients in the field.

Providing emergency relief

On 25 June, the British Red Cross made a £215,000 donation to help pay for food for around 7,500 families. It pledged an extra £110,275 from its Disaster Fund the following week to help get other supplies to 1,000 displaced families living in public buildings. This includes blankets, kitchen sets, sleeping mats and bedsheets, kerosene stoves and hygiene kits.

The British Red Cross has deployed two staff to support the Movement response, including a nurse working at the ICRC hospital in Peshawar and a household economic security (HES) expert.  The HES delegate is assessing the potential for a recovery programme.

So far, the British Red Cross Pakistan Crisis Appeal has raised £46,000.

Read more about the Pakistan Crisis Appeal

Last updated 13 August 2009