The Earthquake
An earthquake measuring at least 7.6 on the Richter scale hit the South Asian countries claiming thousands of precious lives. The worst affected areas are Kashmir and Pakistan.

Our Response
The first MERCY Malaysia relief mission in response to the South Asia Earthquake left Kuala Lumpur on 10 October 2005. Immediately upon reaching Bagh on 12 October 2005, the orthopaedic and trauma specialists of the MERCY Malaysia relief teams performed surgeries in the affected area. They were the only orthopaedic surgical volunteers to perform orthopaedic surgeries in Bagh for at least the first 10 days.

MERCY Malaysia is still operating in Bagh where the injury count was estimated to reach 80,000 people. More significantly, MERCY Malaysia’s presence in Bagh remains to be pivotal in providing valuable medical aid to the people of Bagh.

Mobile clinics
MERCY Malaysia began conducting primary health care and vaccination mobile clinics in November 2005, with patients reaching up to 400 patients per day. Previous mobile clinics were conducted at Jaglari, Nomanpuri, Kotera, Reahra, Dhak Barian, Thub & Chearighani Abad, Baggran, Rangla, Chocky, Chauki, Danna, Bisuti, Kharal Maldialan, Baangran, Nakkar and Bani Pesari.

MERCY Malaysia conducted mobile clinics to isolated communities living in remote areas.

MERCY Malaysia was assigned by World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct mobile clinics at these areas in Bhount and Bagh:

Bhout: Kharal Maldialan, Bisuti and Kharal Panyali
Bagh: Nurigala and Bani Minasha

We provided primary health care at each mobile clinic which focused on cough and cold, women check-up, skin diseases, deworming and general paediatric cases.

Average number of patients for each mobile outreach day: 100 - 200 patients
Number of patients could run up to as high as 400 for each mobile clinic day.

Semi Permanent Warehouse and Mother and Child Health Centre

Today, MERCY Malaysia is continuing its relief mission in Bagh, Pakistan. June 2006, MERCY Malaysia has just completed its Semi-Permanent Warehouse for the Bagh District Hospital Quarters to safely store medical supplies and equipments. MERCY Malaysia has also completed its Mother and Child Health Centre (MCH) in Bagh.

Psychosocial Intervention
When disasters occur, MERCY Malaysia recognises there is a need for survivors to talk and to emotionally heal. Here, we try to provide psychosocial support whether through counselling, expressing emotions and art therapy sessions to the affected communities.

In November, MERCY Malaysia organises art therapy sessions for children where we used crayons, colour pencil and blank paper as a way for children to express their emotions.


Mental Health Unit Workshop
MERCY Malaysia is currently providing Mental Health Unit Workshop for religious leaders, social and women health workers, teachers and DHQ staff. This workshop aimed to provide training for psychosocial support to the local community, which include awareness training and supportive skills to PIMA staff and clinical psychiatry services.

To complement the workshop, MERCY Malaysia is also embarked on World Health Organisation (WHO) approved Psychosocial Support to School Children After the Disaster Programme, to which MERCY Malaysia and our collaborative partner,- Mental Health Relief Unit Bagh from Department of Psychiatry, Military Hospital Rawalpindi focus on conducting awareness training to school teachers to provide mental health support to their students.

MERCY Malaysia Shelters and Livelihood Project in Balakot and Kaghan Valley, Pakistan
On 28 February 2006, MERCY Malaysia collaborated with Pattan Development Organisation on delivering of semi-permanent shelters, ‘winter warmth’ and Livelihood Project items to beneficiaries in Balakot and Kaghan Valley, Pakistan.

MERCY Malaysia participated in ‘Operation Winter Race’ in November 2006. We distributed winterised tents and blankets worth USD $100, 000 (RM 376, 695) to 2,000 displaced person in Bagh, Pakistan.

As an extension to the ‘Operation Winter Race’, MERCY Malaysia had collaborated with Pattan Development Organisation on 16 December until 20 February 2006 where we distributed much needed semi-permanent shelters and ‘winter warmth’ items worth USD $50, 000 (RM 190, 000) to more than 4, 000 beneficiaries in Balakot and Kaghan Valley area. Our local partners in Pakistan, Pattan Development Organisation, assisted in identifying and facilitating distribution of these items.

Semi Permanent Shelters
Semi-permanent shelters are vital as to provide adequate protection against the harsh elements of Pakistan winter. Together with Pattan Development Organisation, MERCY Malaysia volunteer teams distributed and helped beneficiaries to build these semi-permanent shelters at Jalora Village, Jabi Village, Arban Village, Patlung 1 Village, Patlung Bala, Patlung Naka and Gali Achari.

Semi-permanent shelters distributed in Patlung Naka and Gali Achari was funded by the Association of Pakistani Women in Malaysia through the South Asia Earthquake Disaster Appeal (SAEDA).

Addition to the semi-permanent shelters, items such as gas stoves, winter clothes and shoes were also distributed.

Livelihood Project
As part of MERCY Malaysia’s Livelihood Project, we provided sewing machines and handicraft kits worth USD $5 000 (RM 19, 000) to 80 women and men of Jabi Village, Arban Village, Jahngari Village and Pattan Pori Camp,

As to date, MERCY Malaysia continues to expand its relief services in Pakistan with its most recent deployment of two (2) medical volunteers to Bagh on 8 March 2006. They are to assist Bagh District Hospital Quarters (DHQ) staff and provide medical support to the assigned mobile clinics at Bhount and Bagh.

MERCY Malaysia is still providing medical relief and rehabilitation in Bagh, Pakistan with our core services being surgeries at PIMA field hospital, Obstetric and Gynaecology specialist services at Bagh District Hospital Quarters (DHQ), Primary Health Care in mobile clinics at Kharal Maldialan, Bisuti, Kharal Panyali, Nurigala and Bani Minasha and Mental Health Support programmes in Bagh.

List of beneficiary villages in Balakot and Kaghan Valley

• Patlung Bala
• Patlung 1
• Patlung 2
• Patlung Naka
• Jalora Village
• Arban Village
• Jabi Village
• Jahngari Village
• Jabba Village
• Gali Achari
• Pattan Development Organisation Balakot camp
• Pattan Pori Camp