"The artificial limbs would be provided to each and every affected child, woman and man as per decision of the federal cabinet regarding the rehabilitation of victims of devastated earthquake that hit five district of NWFP and Azad Kashmir," he said while addressing a donor workshop at Frontier House.
He appreciated the role of national, international and UN agencies in the rehabilitation of earthquake victims and asked for more help to restore the destroyed health facilities and prevent huge casualties in the coming winters.
According to initial estimates, he informed around 146,000 people were injured, 753 amputations recorded which could rise to 1000, paraplegic cases were around 550 and mortality was 332; and to prevent health hazards in the affected areas in the post-quake period more efforts are needed.
NWFP Health Department with the collaboration of WHO and GTZ had organised this conference to present medium and long term strategies and to chalk out co-ordination and co-operation among donor agencies to prevent duplication.
The health minister said government had mobilised its resources despite the fact that 70 per cent health facilities had been destroyed in the quake-hit areas. WHO had mobilised 220 medical staff and they asked Punjab government to mobilise health experts to provide medical care to thousands of injured.
He said all the amputated persons would be provided artificial limb and currently there were three centres for preparation of artificial limbs. He said doctors were busy in counselling the traumatise people but more psychiatrists were needed to cope with the situation.
He said 80 countries were participating in the reconstruction.
The NWFP Health Minister Innayatullah Khan thanked all national, international and UN partners for helping the government dealing with the earthquake disaster during the acute phase of emergency. He said the conference would pave the way for co-ordinated efforts both on behalf of the government and partners without any duplication and wastage of resources.