The Fred Hollows Foundation has for the first time assessed damage to medical equipment and infrastructure caused by the devastating floods in Pakistan.

Nowshera is one of 12 districts in Pakistan where The Foundation works to be heavily impacted by the floods. It is the first to be visited since flood waters receded.  

The Foundation’s Program Manager for Pakistan, Dr Rubina Gillani, said that her visit was a very emotional one, with the District Headquarter eye unit badly damaged.

“It will need a complete renovation,” Dr Gillani said. “The equipment has been sent to the suppliers to see what could be salvaged, but their assessment was not good.”

“Flood waters entered in the hospital building up to six to seven feet, which damaged almost all the equipment and instruments, including those provided by The Foundation and AusAID as part of the Pakistan Australia District Comprehensive Eye Care Program in the year 2002.”

The Foundation is having difficulty accessing other remote eye units where transport and communication are still not up and running and where water is yet to recede. A full response to the long term recovery of The Foundation’s activities in Pakistan will be determined over the next six to eight weeks once a thorough needs assessment is conducted for each eye unit.