Current warfare in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan has forced Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to stop its emergency medical care in the country’s Swat region. Since April 2009 the conflict has intensified in Lower Dir, Buner and now in Swat. MSF had been the only humanitarian medical organization supporting the hospital in Mingora and providing ambulance services in Swat.

In Lower Dir, MSF continues to provide clean water and basic healthcare to displaced people in two camps. In Peshawar, MSF is prepared for a possible arrival of more displaced, including injured civilians who cannot find treatment closer to home. MSF has a team on standby in Dargai, Malakand to assist all those who need surgery.

MSF supports a trauma centre in Peshawar and the emergency room in Khyber hospital. MSF also supports one displaced persons camp in Mardan District, providing healthcare and clean water, building latrines and distributing non-food items to 1,000 families.

When violence flared up in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and in NWFP in April 2009, MSF teams in Peshawar were able to distribute essential non-food items to over 100 families displaced from Buner living with host families.

MSF continues to work in four basic health units in the Peshawar neighbourhoods that are hosting families displaced by the war. An estimated 45,000 displaced are living with host families (the estimated resident population in these areas is 66,000 people). MSF provides primary healthcare with referral to secondary structures. A team has also supported a camp in Charsadda and distributed essential non-food items and tents, water and sanitation activities, i.e. built latrines, washing areas and drainage system for over 30,000 displaced people in Peshawar, Charsadda and Mardan since August 2008.

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