These coming months can be a struggle for the less fortunate people of Pakistan. The worst floods in history have ravaged their country. Large areas have been devastated by unusually heavy rainfall, causing rivers to overflow their banks and flash floods in low-lying areas. The flood damage which started in the northwest and spread to central and south Pakistan, is enormous.

More than 4 million people have been forced from their homes because of the flooding. The catastrophe is affecting 20 million residents. At least 1,600 people have been killed. Villages have been wrecked and homes destroyed. The deluge has ruined crops over an estimated area of more than 1.6 million acres. Families have had their lives turned upside down and displaced families are camping on roadsides. Many lack shelter, food and clean water.

Merce Malaysia is appealing for financial assistance through our Pakistan Relief Fund to help raise RM1 million. This amount is needed to reconstruct health facilities which have been totally damaged by the floods as well as to provide emergency medical relief to flood victims in the southern parts of Pakistan. More mobile and static clinics are also needed to help alleviate the suffering of the people as medical attention is widely needed. At the moment, financial aid is ‘trickling into’ the fund and is inadequate to cover the cost of Mercy Malaysia’s medical relief works in Pakistan in the near future.

So far, Mercy Malaysia has sent three teams to Pakistan and they are currently working at two static clinics in the Nowshera and Charsadda districts. Each static clinic also runs a mobile clinic. We have served over 6,000 patients through our four clinics, and the numbers will rise as more people are displaced by the flood. Increasing cases of conjunctivitis, dehydration, diarrhoea and skin infection are now being reported.

The government of Pakistan has announced that the emergency phase is until Sept 30 and Mercy Malaysia will provide emergency medical relief to as many affected communities as we can. We hope to continue provide our services in the recovery phase after the said date.

Help us help the people of Pakistan rebuild their lives. Your donation will definitely bring relief to the families affected by the epic flooding in Pakistan. Please channel your donation to Mercy Malaysia’s Pakistan Relief Fund, through the following bank accounts:

Maybank (account name: Mercy Humanitarian Fund, account number: 5621-7950-4126,

ABA Swift Code: MBBEMYKLA), or

CIMB Bank (account name: Mercy Malaysia, account number: 1424-000-6561053,

ABA Swift Code: CIBBMYKL), or

2.Internet Banking

CIMB Clicks (through CIMB Cares), or

Maybank2u (under registered biller), or

AmOnline (under registered biller), or

EON Bank (under registered biller).

3.Donations via cheque are payable to Mercy Malaysia

4.To donate online, please visit www.mercy.org.my

(Kindly state, ‘Pakistan Relief Fund’ at the back of the cheque, in the bank-in slip or at the reference column if transaction is via Internet banking).

Making a difference to the humanitarian efforts both locally and internationally is our commitment at Mercy Malaysia. Our belief in the difference we can make together - big or small – will become even stronger with your support and commitment.

The writer is president, Mercy Malaysia.