Support for Flood Victims in Pakistan

Munich. Physicians, pharmacists and nurses from Lands Aid will fly to the disaster zone. They want to go to places where the victims of the flood disaster have not had any support. The organisation is in dire need of donations.

It is one of the worst flood disasters in history, one fifth of Pakistan is flooded with water, around 17 million people need help: medication, provisions, accomodation and clean drinking water. Ten days ago members from the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting team from Munich flew to Pakistan.

Together with the partner organization, Pakistan Relief, two doctors, one pharmacist and one nurse will look after people in a local mobile clinic. Coordinator Hans Musswessels from Munich told the newspaper Abendzeitung: "From Islamabad we want to drive to villages where people haven't received support. We will distribute medication and hygiene packages for about 20 000 people." Hygiene products are very important to not further spread diseases through skin infections. Ordinary daily utensiles like tooth brushes, soap and shampoo - all of that is lost for the people in Pakistan.

For the team it is a journey into the dark. "We don't know exactly what to expect", says the 45 year old. Musswessel has experience with disasters; he was in Mozambique in 2007 to provide aid for the flooding disaster. "There is nothing more beautiful than to save a childs life."
For that he uses his holiday - unpaid. Just before the departure the 71 year old pharmacist Gerhard Gensthaler stops by the helpers from Lands Aid. He is the director of "Apotheker helfen" (Pharmacists help). The organization of bavarian pharmacists provides troubled areas with medicine and explains their usage. Now the organisation supports Lands Aid with a medication donation. Lands Aid finances its mission through the Department for Foreign Affairs and donations. Donations are in need, so far only 5,000 Euro has been donated for the flood victims.

Donations can be sent to: Lands Aid, AN: 10022, VR Bank Landsberg am Lech, BLZ 700 932 00.