PESHAWAR: The government in collaboration with the World Health Organisation is carrying out rapid assessment survey to ascertain the quantum of damage caused by the Monday`s earthquake to the health facilities with a view to respond to immediate needs and fill the gaps effectively.

`We have asked the district health of ficers to gather information about the damaged facilities in affected areas to devise a plan for reconstruction,` Dr Pervez Kamal, the provincial director-general health services, told Dawn.

According to him, the health staf f is busy with patients and relief work and doesn`t have enough time to collect details of the facilities affected by the tremor. `Now a proforma has been dispatched to the districts because we desperately require a data to take action accordingly,` he said.

Dr Pervez said health department provided treatment to 2,372 persons and recorded 137 deaths from the earthquake.

He said that 275 people were still admitted to public sector`s hospitals.

`We have deputed an orthopedic surgeon in Chitral to operate upon the people having fractures. The blockade of roads has made it difficult but main focus in on Chitral as seven critically-ill persons were shifted to Rawalpindi through helicopter from there on Thursday. We want a rough estimate immediately so we can plan future line of work,` he said.

The director-general said that they had planned a survey to have a rough estimate about the health scenario in the aftermath of earthquake. `ICRC also donated a trauma kit for Malakand,` he said.

A meeting held between WHO and health department on Thursday decided to activate health cluster and cope with health-related problems in the province.

Dr Saeed Akbar Khan, the WHO head for Fata and the province, said that situation of injured people was under control but the assessment was being carried out to know needs and gaps in the quake-hit areas to take required measures.

The number of patients, availability of human resources, medicines, diagnostic services and equipments etc in the facilities would give a clear picture to the government, he said.

Dr Saeed said that in coordination with health department, they were considering to involve their polio staff at the district level or engage partner local organisations to assist the health department in the exercise.

The health department has been given a trauma kit enough for about 3,000 for quake victims in addition to five diarrhoeal kits two months ago, due to which the department was propositioned to make medical supplies to local hospitals.

Dr Saeed said that damage assessment after the calamities was a normal procedure adopted worldwide. Strategies were devised on the basis of damage assessment to cope with the situation efficiently, he added.

However, sources in the health department said that VIP visits to the quake-stricken areas affected the performance of the health employees. `The DHOs, who are supposed to supervise health services to the vulnerable people in their respective district, are accompanying, prime minister, chief minister, ministers and politicians who are visiting these areas,` they said.

A DHO said that he didn`t find time because of his engagements with dignitaries, who had lately developed the habit of being photographed in hospitals.

Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar has become a favourite destination of VIPs. From Imran Khan to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and from ministers to advisers and opposition politicians, all have visited the hospital just to hamper patients` treatment. Same is happening in all hospitals where earthquake`s victims are admitted.