Addressing a press conference along with World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Representative Khalif Bile Mohammad and Unicef's Omer Obaid, Health Minister Muhammad Nasir Khan termed the natural catastrophe bigger than tsunami.
He said the government and other international organisations have adopted a joint approach, particularly on the health front.
The Health Ministry, he said, along with the WHO and other NGOs has taken all precautionary measures, including immunisation, to prevent breakout of epidemics. "Under emergency immunisation campaign, the ministry has given doses of measles to 314,185 people and tetanus to 84,252 in the quake-affected areas," he said.
"We launched a massive medical operation in the quake-affected areas of NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) immediately after receiving preliminary information of the huge catastrophe," he said, adding that they were facing biggest challenge of rehabilitation of those patients having amputations and spinal injuries.
The minister said the main focus of the government was revival of primary health care units in AJK and setting up tent clinics to provide medical treatment. He said the health infrastructure was badly damaged during the devastating earthquake and only 199 health outlets out of 564 were operational.
Nasir said that the government has established a co-ordination mechanism by setting up a Disaster Management Control Room in the Health Ministry with the help of international partners, UN, NGOs and WHO for revival of basic health units and day-to-day monitoring of vaccinations and blood transfusion.
WHO Regional Representative Khalif Bile Mohammad said the number of casualties from infections and epidemics were timely reduced with the help of the government's effective response.
He, however, said that we should not be complacent and get ourselves prepared for the biggest challenges like revival of basic health units and rehabilitation of the injured.
WHO, he said, is committed to provide its all-out support to the government in its rehabilitation efforts. He said there is a big difference between health and other sectors mainly because health facilities have to be provided on day-to-day basis, which makes the task more difficult.
He, however, admitted that some cases of diarrhea were reported in different camps, but said, they were given immediate treatment and no life was lost.
Earlier in the morning, the minister while addressing the participants of a "Trauma workshop" at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) called upon the people from all walks of life, particularly women, to come forward to help in removing the psychological distress of the children and women.
The workshop in which more than 105 participants from all walks of life, including councillors, teachers, leaders and people from medical profession are participating, was jointly organised by the PIMS, Health Ministry, American Pakistani Physician Association and WHO.