Pakistan: Flying doctors help earthquake survivors get through the winter

Saturday 15th April 2006

AYR is pleased to repeat the following, taken from a Merlin press release:

"The Mi-8 helicopter has begun delivering medicines, equipment and food to five field clinics set up by the medical aid charity, Merlin. In addition, a team of four medics are being ferried daily to outlying settlements to tend to patients who are unable to reach the field bases.

The tented clinics, which treat around 2,500 people every week, are scattered across Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the epicentre of the earthquake which struck in October last year. Frequent landslides, as well as heavy snow and rainfall, mean that roads to the sites are blocked for much of the time.

Jean-François Briere, Merlin's Country Director in Pakistan, said: "Having a dedicated helicopter enables us to maintain the best possible health services right through the depths of winter. Our teams are dealing with urgent cases such an pneumonia, broken limbs and complicated pregnancies and this donation will help us to get to places that are difficult to reach even on foot."

AYR Aviation provides heavy-lift helicopters to humanitarian and peacekeeping organisations all over the world.

AYR's Gavin Connolly said: "We have had aircraft in Pakistan since the beginning of the earthquake relief operation and have been impressed by Merlin's work. Their field clinics are operating in remote snow covered areas where helipads are often mere pinpricks on the mountainside. Despite these conditions, I'm confident our crews can deliver what's needed."