IOM continues to dispatch truckloads of non-food items (NFIs) to
the humanitarian cluster hub in Peshawar, the capital of North West
Frontier Province (NWFP), for their onward distribution among the
internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by military operations
in Swat and other surrounding areas.

As of 19 May, 64 trucks with 29,000 quilts, 40,000 sleeping
mats, 10,000 plastic buckets and 8,120 jerry cans have been sent
out for distribution in 22 camps in Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi and
Charsadda districts of NWFP.

"With over 80 per cent of the registered displaced population
living outside of camps, we must immediately support those living
with relatives, in spontaneous settlements and collective centres,"
says Brian Kelly, IOM Head of Emergency and Stabilization
Programme.

IOM will provide assistance to nearly 30,000 vulnerable
displaced families now living in camps.

The Government of Pakistan has relaxed curfew resulting in a
rapid increase in the number of people fleeing the
conflict-stricken areas, surpassing the government's planning
figures of 1.5 million last week.

According to the NWFP Social Welfare Department, a total of more
than 1.4 million people have been registered since May 2, with a
vast majority, some 1.3 million, living outside of camps.

They join some 553,000 registered displaced persons affected by
conflict in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

With support from the international community, the government
has established 75 registration points in Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda,
Nowshera, Kohat and Peshawar districts.

Furthermore, IOM medical teams have carried out a health needs
assessment and prioritization mission in four IDP camps: Sheikh
Shehzan and Sheikh Yasin in Mazan district and Yar Hussain and
Chota Lahore in Swabi district.

The assessment confirmed that the people living with host
families or currently ensconced along road sides in spontaneous
settlements have the most acute health needs requiring immediate
attention. Preliminary findings show they suffer from respiratory
tract infections, diarrhoeal diseases, scabies and malaria.

"There is an urgent need to strengthen healthcare systems to
deliver comprehensive primary healthcare to IDPs in host
communities," says IOM Doctor Muddasser Ban Abad.

IOM has prepared programming in the Pakistan Humanitarian
Response Plan appeal within the sectors of Protection, Health,
Shelter, Security Coordination, and Early Recovery. 

The Health and Shelter interventions are targeting displaced
families living with host families. The appeal will be launched
shortly.

For further information, please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Islamabad

Tel: +92 300 856 59 67

E-mail: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int">srehmat@iom.int