Sunday: 31-3-2014: (Day 10)

2nd Day of HF Food Distribution and Mobile Health Unit (MHU) Progress Report

By the grace of Allah things are going very smooth, fine and according to the plan. Selected deprived and

vulnerable people from the community had started receiving the food ration packs and this gives a sense

of achievement and relief to us. After receiving the food ration packs the faces of the people seems to

be relaxed and comfortable as a promise done with them has been fulfilled.

Dust is settling down and today things were more streamlined and distribution process was more

smooth and sound. The day started with a formal internal coordination meeting, as the lists for the

called beneficiaries were finalized a night before, so the challenges and learnings of the first distribution

day was discussed and some decisions were made.

It was decided that the volunteer would utilized in more productive ways and only selective and efficient

would be called for the distribution process. Similarly the security and other supporting arrangements

were also reviewed and overlooked.

The HF food package includes following number of items of daily use and the package of 30 days will be

sufficient for 7 members family.

S. No. Goods/Items Unit

Measurement

Quantity/

Units

1 Atta 20 Kg Bag Kg 20

2 Rice 20 Kg Bag Kg 20

3 Ghee/Oil 3 Kg Kg 3

4 Sugar 2 Kg kg 2

5 Dal Chana 2Kg Kg 2

6 Dal Moong (Washed) 1 kg Kg 1

7 Dal Masoor 1 Kg Kg 1

8 Tea 475 grm grm 1

9 Salt 800 grm grm 1

10 Masala Mix 500 grm grm 1

11 Match Box box 1

Finally the food ration distribution was started with full dedication, but during the process some serious

circumstances were faced, as the payment to the selected vender has not been done, so he stopped the

supply of food ration to our warehouse.

This was a shocking news for our team and for some time we had to stop our food ration distribution

for 2 hours. To resolve this issue we moved towards vender shop and requested him to start supply and

assured him that his payment cheque is in process in core office, and also by the involvement of a local

friend Mr. Muhammad Salim who is branch manager at UBL Mithi, the vender was agreed to start food

supply, this gives a relief to HF team and finally the food distribution was resumed.

As the ration distribution was started again the HF team streamlined the whole process, beneficiary was

called into the room and crosschecked from the record, after verification the person was moved

towards the food ration distribution point and there his food token/ration card was collected by the

volunteer and food ration was provided to him.

This smooth but reliable mechanism made the whole process more accurate and consistent, as a resultin

the end of the day the HF team was able to distribute ration to 152 selected beneficiaries.

As the distribution process was in progress the Mobile Health Unit (MHU) team was busy in providing

the most needed health services and medical facilitation to the deprived people of Tharparkar. People

having infectious and non infectious diseases and chronic diseases visited the Mobile Health Unit (MHU)

and were treated with care. We are providing mobile health services which include preventive and

curative health services, pre and postnatal care, medicines, and awareness to communities.

During these two days 215 patients were treated and most of the diseases diagnosed and treated

resulted from the drought, weather, harsh living conditions and malnutrition of the patients:

Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI): 63

Diarrhea (bloody and non bloody): 23

Dyspepsia: 12

Scabies: 11

. Gynecological and obstetric Cases: 7

General Body Aches and Weaknesses: 23

Constipation: 12

Urinary Tract Infections: 24

Hyper-Tension and Anxiety: 13

.Malnutrition: 38

In addition to a harsh climate, a lack of awareness on health issues also increases over all morbidity and

deaths in these deprived desert community. The severe food insecurity, malnutrition, unavailability of

electricity, limited communications, reluctant attitude of the community, and poor hygiene conditions

were major challenges that resulted in above mentioned morbidity. The health situation of child care is

also alarming as 43% children in Tharparkar are malnourished and there is no concept of vaccination at

all; even polio health teams never visited these communities and children were never vaccinated.

It is worth mentioning that our medical officer Dr Mehboob Bhambro belongs to Sindh and he has good

command on Sindhi and Thari languages, so this creates very ease for the both doctor and patients to

understand the root causes and disease pattern.

Medical officer at MHU also delivered lectures to our selective beneficiaries on the importance of health

and hygiene and safe drinking water, similarly the ways to filter water at home was also briefed to the

local people and all this sessions were given in local Sindhi and Thari language, certainly this would be

very helpful for the community to adopt these best practices and abstain from diseases as science has

proved that contaminated water is the main cause of tens of diseases.

Concluding the report, the day was very hectic and full of challenges but with the devotion and eager to

deliver HF team remained consistent and finally distributed ration to 152 people. After receiving the

ration people were very happy and relaxed, because promise made by HF team was fulfilled on time and

with dignity.

Many of the beneficiaries paid special thanks to HF team and they were praying for the betterment of

the organization. Feeling this sense of satisfaction is a great achievement of HF team, as our goal is to

facilitate the deprived and vulnerable people at maximum level.

This is sure that if we strive our best only four member team of HF with support of community made a

bigger difference in the lives of these people