Peshawar: Pakistan Red Crescent Society Khyber Pakhtunkhwa launched a major relief operation in District Chitral. Under the relief operation, a Mobile health unit is providing free treatment along with free medicine on the doorsteps of the local population including Afghan refugees in Chitral.
Meanwhile, an installation of an ultra-water filtration system to ensure safe drinking water for people of Chitral is included. In this regard, Lt Gen Retd Muhammad Hamid Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Red Crescent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said, “We aim to assist the people where other institutions face difficulties to reach out. Pakistan Red Crescent society KP is trying to ensure the help of the people in these far-flung areas of Chitral. That is why not only the water filtration system in Chitral was installed but also a solar-powered system was provided for this facility so that clean drinking water could be provided to the people. On the other hand, in an area like Chitral, our mobile health unit is providing free treatment as well as free medicines to the people at their doorsteps. Where more than 1,500 people have been provided treatment in 11 different areas in a month so far. In all these operations, the Pakistan Red Crescent has the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross, a global humanitarian organisation.
The international federation of the Red Cross representative for Pakistan Piwi ophoff, who came to Chitral to Monitor the ongoing relief operations, said that the installation of solarised water filtration system and setting up of a mobile health unit in Chitral is aimed at providing facilities to the local population living in Chitral, especially Afghan refugees. We want the people of Chitral to have clean drinking water and access to the basic health facilities at doorsteps so that they do not have to travel for miles to get these facilities. The International Federation of the Red Cross is considering further expanding the scope of these facilities.
Solar systems have also been installed to use this facility so that no future challenges are faced to operate the system. The water filtration system has been handed over to the local TMA office after its installation. Similarly, under the mobile health unit, 1,500 people have benefited from this facility in 11 different areas of Chitral so far, including 939 Pakistanis and 460 Afghan refugees. He further said added to his statement, we sent our mobile health unit team after consultation with the Health Department, where it needs most.
