Merlin treating victims of Pakistan refugee camp blast

The medical charity Merlin has deployed all of its 85 staff at Jalozai camp, Pakistan, to treat those injured in a car bomb blast. 17 people are believed to have died in the explosion this morning and a further 37 injured.

The charity – which supports four clinics in the camp for internally displaced people – has closed all but one of its facilities in Jalozai for security. The remaining clinic is located less than 100 meters from the blast site, and is treating both those wounded in the bombing and regular patients in need of basic health services.

Charles Strickland, Country Director for Merlin in Pakistan, said “We are being extremely cautious in light of this incident which happened within metres of one of Merlin’s clinics. This is a matter of grave concern - both in terms of the safety of our own staff and the people in the camp we are working with.”

“Merlin is the only NGO operating here and of today we treated 22 injuries and transported five casualties. This has been a challenging day and we hope this incident is not a sign of future similar incidents.”

“Anything which limits the ability of health workers to deliver medical care to those who need it is a big setback.”

Jalozai camp has a population of more than 57,700 – which is expected to grow by thousands in the coming weeks, in an area with high malaria risk and some of Pakistan’s highest rates of severe malnutrition.

NOTES TO EDITORS

At least 17 people have been killed and 37 injured in what was believed to have been a suicide car bomb in the Jalozai Camp near Peshawar. The camp was for decades the home to thousands of refugee from Afghanistan and in recent years has been home to internally displaced populations from within Pakistan.

Merlin has worked in Pakistan since the Kashmir earthquake in 2005. Merlin’s work reaches 1.8 million people in Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa (KPK), Sindh and Balochistan and continues to grow.