The IDP Crisis in Pakistan:

Pakistan saw one of the largest internal displacements in the summer of 2009; with over 2.3 million people fleeing their homes at the peak of the fighting in Malakand and surrounding areas. While most of these IDPs have returned, a large number IDPs from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) continue to flee the military operation in their agencies. According to reports from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), aid agencies are preparing for an influx of a possible further 150,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northwestern Pakistan in 2010.

Since the beginning of the IDP crisis in 2009, CAMP has been delivering an emergency health care programme for internally displaced persons (fleeing the conflict in the north of FATA and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa in Peshawar and Nowshera district since May 2009. The emergency project for Primary Healthcare was initially funded by CFLI (Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives) from May – July 2009. With the support of the Federal Republic of Germany in partnership with HELP, a German NGO, the Project continued from August to October 2009. Keeping in mind the dire need for health services, CAMP continued to support the Jalozai Health facility from November-December 2009 with its own resources. In January 2010, our long-term partner IDEALS UK agreed to fund the health project until May 2010.

CAMP has provided medical consultation/assistance to over 70,000 individuals through four mobile units and a static health facility at Jalozai IDP Camp, Nowshera. The programme has incorporated the following: the delivery of comprehensive primary and maternal/child health services from a static clinic within Jalozai Camp; the delivery of comprehensive primary and maternal/child health services from four mobile clinics, targeting sub-camps (schools & scattered population of IDPs and host communities) in all the Union Councils of Peshawar District & some areas in District Nowshera; distribution of hygiene kits to vulnerable families; and the provision of health and hygiene education through outreach workers and health staff at the facility.

In 2010, the population in Phase 6 of Jalozai Camp has been around 10,000 individuals where most families originate from Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber agencies, fleeing their homes as a result of the military operation. On average, CAMP’s static health facility in Jalozai receives 150 individuals including 53% children, 29% women and 18% men. The highest number of consultations includes respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea, malaria, unexplained fever etc. These are also some of the most common communicable diseases reported from the IDP-hosting districts and conflict-affected areas by WHO.