Commonwealth to Send Medical Experts to Pakistan

The earthquake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, and is believed to be the strongest to have hit Pakistan in a century

Commenting on the deployment, Secretary-General Don McKinnon said, "We are drawing on medical volunteers with wide-ranging expertise from within the Commonwealth family to assist Pakistan in coping with the emergency following the disaster. The Government of Pakistan has informed us of priority areas where it requires assistance and we will tailor our deployment to fill this need."

The medical experts, who will be deployed under the Secretariat's Commonwealth Service Abroad Programme, will spend three months working in Pakistan. They will be provided with medical kits and health equipment to assist their work. The Secretariat will work with Pakistan's Ministry of Health to deploy members of the team to areas where they are most needed.

Mr McKinnon added, "I have conveyed to the Government of Pakistan and publicly expressed the support and concern felt by fellow Commonwealth citizens at this difficult time. I urge other Commonwealth governments and the wider international community to continue to provide disaster relief to Pakistan in the form of food, tents, clothing and medicines."

The Secretariat will work closely with the medical team to respond to the needs on the ground, in Pakistan. Following the initial deployment, the project will look at reconstruction requirements and how best these needs can be met.

Key Links:

• Secretary-General Calls for Assistance to Pakistan Following Earthquake
• Commonwealth Service Abroad Programme (CSAP)
• Pakistan Country Profile
• Commonwealth Service Abroad Programme (CSAP) appeals for volunteer doctors in response to the earthquake in Pakistan