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Islamabad hospital receives first orthopaedic bed from Brad Pitt and UNHCR

December 28, 2005

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, December 28 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency today handed over the first orthopaedic bed donated by actor Brad Pitt to earthquake victims at an Islamabad hospital.

Dr. Syed Fazle Hadi, Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, received the first of 40 beds from UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan, Guenet Guebre- Christos. Worth over US$100,000 in total, the donation was made through UNHCR by Pitt when he visited Pakistan in late November with the agency’s Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie. We are grateful to our donor, Mr. Brad Pitt, for supporting the relief effort for the earthquake-affected people of Pakistan,” said Guebre-Christos. “This donation will bring comfort to the injured and facilitate the work of the dedicated hospital staff of PIMS.”

Dr. Syed Fazle Hadi (left), Executive Director of PIMS and UNHCR Country Representative Guenet Guebre-Christos standing in front of an orthopaedic bed donated by Brad Pitt to earthquake victims. © UNHCR/B.Baloch

The Islamabad hospital was overwhelmed after the October 8 earthquake that killed over 73,000 people and left an equal number injured. Casualties were flown in hourly from devastated areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and North West Frontier Province. Twelve weeks later, the situation has stabilized at the hospital, but remaining patients – including 504 people with spinal injuries and 654 amputees – still need a high level of care.

“It’s not easy to look after quadriplegic patients, who are prone to bed and pressure sores if they stay in the same position for too long,” said Dr. Hadi. “But these beds tilt from side to side and move up and down using electronic switches and hydraulics. They will make it easier for nurses to move the patients.”

He added, “This donation should be seen as an example for other philanthropists and good people to help the patients. We now have one rehabilitation centre and are building a second one in Islamabad. Both will need gymnasiums for physiotherapy to help spinal injury patients strengthen their upper bodies. We also hope to have vocational training facilities to teach them how to make a living despite their disabilities. Some of them will walk again; most will not.” UNHCR, too, has been trying to help quake victims get back on their feet through a range of relief activities.

Dr. Syed Fazle Hadi, Executive Director of the PIMS demonstrating how to use the orthopaedic bed at PIMS Hospital Islamabad.© UNHCR/B.Baloch

The agency has so far distributed 19,439 tents, 431,184 blankets, 60,413 plastic sheets, 1,531 plastic rolls, 15,886 mattresses, 24,908 jerry cans, 20,008 kitchen sets, 1,359 sleeping bags and 31,628 bars of soap in the affected areas. It is now in the middle of a winterization campaign to provide everyone in relief camps with 3 blankets each and every tent with two plastic sheets and four mattresses.

As lead agency for camp management, UNHCR is currently providing material and technical support to the Pakistan authorities and NGOs in 37 planned camps and hundreds of spontaneous camps housing a total of 184,460 quake survivors. The agency offers advice on site planning and coordinates the delivery of services like water, sanitation, health care and education in camps. It also has 39 mobile teams to build latrines and communal kitchens where needed, and to sensitise camp communities on issues like winterization, fire safety and hygiene.