When the floodwater filled our area, I was inside the house with my children. We waited, hoping the water level would go down, but it rose under our beds. I managed to escape with my children, and we left the village by boat. We have been staying with my sister for three weeks. Naseem Bibi … Read more
In a Pakistan valley marked by conflict, one clinic offers critical support to thousands returning to damaged homes After more than a decade of being displaced from their homes by conflict, people have been returning to Tirah Valley, a mountainous area in the northwest of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. Families have … Read more
In the heart of Dera Murad Jamali, a town in eastern Balochistan frequently battered by seasonal floods and chronic poverty, the mother and child healthcare facility supported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) at the District Headquarter Hospital serves as a vital centre of support and care. The facility offers a wide range of services including … Read more
Pakistan– Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) once again expresses deep concern for approximately 900,000 Afghan Citizen Card holders facing deportation from Pakistan. Vulnerable groups, including women, children, and those with disabilities, are disproportionately impacted by such deportations. Women and girls face especially heightened risks due to restrictive policies which limit their access to education, employment, and public … Read more
Karachi: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) today announced the closure of its long-running hepatitis C project in Karachi, bringing to an end nine years of free, lifesaving treatment in one of Pakistan’s most underserved urban communities. A new report, “The fight against ‘a silent killer’ – The hepatitis C virus,” chronicles the successes, setbacks, and lessons … Read more
“Eight of my nine children were born here, and my daughter-in-law delivered her five children in this very hospital. It’s part of who we are,” says Zarlast, her eyes gleaming with pride as she sits beside her daughter-in-law Zarnasha, both dressed in traditional Pakhtoon attire, adorned with a long, colorful shawl and a set of … Read more
In the wake of the recent announcement by the Pakistani authorities that ‘Phase Two’ of the ‘repatriation plan’ of Afghans in the country will begin after Eid (15 April), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is deeply concerned for the rights and welfare of those impacted by the latest round of deportations. Pakistan is home to an … Read more
In June 2022, extreme monsoon rains struck Pakistan and submerged more than one third of the country. The floods caused extensive destruction of crops and buildings, including health structures. People had to leave their unsafe homes and spend months living in camps, often without shelter, access to basic services, or clean drinking water and food. … Read more
Last year, scorching heat waves broke records across South Asia, with temperatures surpassing 50° in March and April. The unusually violent monsoon that followed triggered floods that killed over 1.700 people in Pakistan and ravaged communities. After the devastating weather events, attributed to climate change, MSF set up a community-based malnutrition program in the remote … Read more
In Pakistan, the neglected tropical disease cutaneous leishmaniasis is considered a public health burden. The disease affects people’s skin and causes lesions or ulcers on the body. It is the most endemic in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkwa provinces, but Sindh and central and southern areas of Punjab are also affected. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most … Read more