Success Stories

MERF has shifted into high gear, administered 50,000 doses across capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A busy morning spent at a field vaccination camp at motorway exit at Peshawar city find out what we are battling against COVID-19 looks like on the ground. Two outreach workers tapped patient details into the National Immunization Management System (NIMS) and making registration slip confirming which vaccine was due, which dose. Blue-gloved vaccinators one man and one woman serving as frontline defenders to combat Covid 19 measured liquid quantities
from vials into syringes under steady, appraising gazes and delivered them into uncovered upper arms as patients flinched, just a little. Notes were made in registers, vaccinees guided into observation corner. The next person was called in, then the next. “A great system is working here”, said Hazrat Sher, the In-charge of Motorway Vaccination Camps both at entry and exit on this location. “We came daily as a mission to immune our people against the worst health crisis of time – the pandemic of Covid 19 and after receiving vaccination vials every morning in cold chain from Department of Health (DoH) Office we start advocate people to get the vaccine who are entering from all over the country.”
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Through the generous funding from International Medical Corps (IMC) and FedEx with support from KP provincial government MERF is contributing to create herd immunity in the capital of province. Over 50000 people are vaccinated under this program in communities, Covid 19 Vaccination Center (CVC), educational institutions and other locations including super crowded bus terminals in district. About first jab of Sinopharm vaccine, Asad Khan, aged just 26, a local university under graduate studying for higher degree, shared his experience about getting vaccine. “When we came to know how important to get vaccinated even for our old parents that if we got infected in university and transferred virus to them”. Government has already barred students to attend university if they are not vaccinated. “We not only save ourself from this deadly disease but also care for others around us”, he realized.
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MERF has outreached communities across Peshawar district through the program and estimated target of one hundred thousand people through this timely intervention under the mission to vaccinate Pakistan against Covid 19.
The Corona virus pandemic also known as COVID-19, has emerged as a devastating challenge to the whole world and it has shaken the global economic, social, and healthcare systems. Only in Pakistan, if we count there were almost around 1.3 million people who were affected by this deadly pandemic and more than 28 thousand deaths according to the government of Pakistan stats.

MERF aims to save life in times of crises, and help rebuild the shattered health services structures in the country during natural disasters, conflict and disease or health system collapses with governments, international organizations and private entities.

The specialized Covid 19 treatment facility in Nistherabad, Peshawar funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) with the support from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and dedicatedly managed by MERF close to motorway. The medical team are working in great enthusiasm during the pandemic period as well and serving the effected people. The hospital which has 110 beds with fully equipped labs, 24/7 oxygen supply having ICU, HDU and isolation patient wards. The hospital in not only serving people from and around the city but also addressing the emergency and urgent need from nearby cities and whole providence and this all is free of cost.

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Among so many successes of this hospital here is a heartwarming story of covid-19 survivors, that how he got a new life in province of KPK with the help of MERF team. Syed Kamal, age 45, was received by hospital from Hangu, Orakzai near Peshawar with underlying medical conditions including diabetics having fever, dry cough and body ache with dropped Oxygen saturation level. He said, “Two months later, I still recall short of breath standing up. When I first began experiencing tremendous fatigue and shortness of breath, my first fear wasn’t that I had come down with COVID-19: It was that I will be on Ventilator and never wake again.” But due to his low oxygen saturation and difficulty breathing they put him on ventilator. His response to the therapy was unresponsive and initially he


story2.1 got worse, stated by Dr. Imran – a dedicated Pulmonologist at the facility. He was shifted from private room to isolation and his Oxygen delivery device changed. But with the non-stop efforts made by MERF medical team he was discharged later in two weeks from hospital and got better. And this is just a story of one patient there are many more such cases as-well who are blessed with a new life.
Catering to the scattered population and wide geographical spread of Balochistan, ‘Ehsaas’ ‘Nashonuma’ Centres are being opened at the Basic Health Unit level to ensure easy access. The centres operating in collaboration with provincial government and the World Food Programme. To provide all ‘Ehsaas’ ‘Nashonuma’ facilities under one roof, three centres have been established in Kalat Surab and Lasbella. Bibi Gul is a BISP beneficiary belonging to Killi Nichari, Tehsil Khaliqabad, and District Kalat. The village is about 36 kilometers from the district headquarters. She lives as a wife of a laborer and the mother of ten children. She found it pretty hard to feed her youngest son and keep tabs on her other children as well.
On one lucky morning the Ehsaas Nashonuma social mobilization team came to enroll them in the program. She said that her husband will not allow her to visit the Naushonama centre as he cannot afford the transportation cost. MERF Social Mobilization team told her the importance of the program. The team conveyed the benefits of Supplementary Nutritious Food (SNF) and also the conditional cash transfer of Rs. 1500 to 2000 to beneficiaries. As such the travel expenses will be covered by the Ehsaas Nashonuma program. Hearing this she discussed it with her husband and asked for permission. Her husband not only gave her permission but also accompanied her in visiting the site.

story3.1 She visited Ehsaas Nashonuma site where the staff received her and briefed on the procedure and compliance of the registration. Following vaccination and issuing of B-form, her child, Haroon was successfully enrolled in the program. A video on television was played in counseling room to provide key messages regarding Ehsaas Nashonuma, immunization, hygiene, IYCF, and a healthy diet. Haroon weighed 3.9kg and his MUAC was 8.7 cm. After counseling and registration, conditional cash of Rs. 1500 was transferred to her account. She was also provided with SNF for her child and was told to consume one sachet per day and feed it to her child directly from the sachet.
On her second visit of Ehsaas Nashonuma Facilitation Centre after 3 months she was quite happy with the program. She said that now Haroon is getting healthy and is more active as compare to the last visit. The staff noted body measurements of her child and this time he weighed 5.3 kg and his MUAC was 12.7 cm. This is one achievements among many, Ehsaas Nashonuma program in Kalat, Surab, and Lasbela districts is currently helping BISP and Ehsaas Kafalat beneficiaries with conditional cash transfer and also providing SNF to pregnant and lactating women to prevent their children from being stunted.The commitment of MERF staff along with the strong support of the World Food Programme is helping to achieve the aim of stunting-free and healthy Baluchistan.
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Under Public Private Partnership Initiative, MERF has taken over health facilities in five newly merged district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The objective of the project is operationalization of the hospital and provision of quality health care services to the general public. Since, the handover of the hospitals, MERF have made operational the hospitals with the following services fully functional at these facilities with dedicated and highly professional medical teams:
  • Outpatient Services (OPD) – Specialized & General;
  • Inpatient wards/units (IPD) – Surgical, Medical, Dental, Pediatrics, NICU, Gynecology & Eye;
  • Accident & Emergency (A&E) services;
  • Operation Theatres;
  • Labor Rooms;
  • Laboratory Services;
  • Pharmacy;
  • EPI Services;
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Since inception of these health facilities there are number of achievements to reduce morbidity and mortality among the targeted population in these locations by improving access to quality healthcare services through affordable healthcare in resource poor settings.

A newly born five days old male child presented to emergency in District Headquarter Hospital in Mishti Mela in Orakzai with respiratory distress and severe anemic. He was even unable to blink his eyes and eyes were hazy. Newly born was shifted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Oxygen inhalation started and investigations sent to laboratory. His hemoglobin level was


extremely low just 2.2 mg/dl. Normal should be above 15 in this age. Parents were so anxious that they want to refer to Peshawar but the condition of the baby was critical which made it impossible to travel. Parents were counselled about patient condition. A plan for blood transfusion was made and transfusion was done on that day. Also, full fledge treatment was initiated. Deuterating condition of child became improving. Blood transfusion also done the next day. On 3rd day the hemoglobin level increased by 12.7 mg/dl. and was maintaining Oxygen saturation without oxygen support. He also started breastfeeding which was quite a good sign. Dedicated and hardworking staff of NICU were able to save life of child. The parents were over whelming with MERF services and praying for staff. This is how MERF saved a life of many in these far-flung areas across province and contributing to save precious lives.
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Towards Herd Immunity by Vaccinating: MERF COVID-19 vaccine campaign hits its stride in Peshawar District
Flattening the Spike and defeating COVID-19: State of Art facility in Peshawar serving people suffered from Covid 19
Aim to tackle stunting and improve nutrition: Nutrition support helping to achieve the aim of stunting-free and healthy Baluchistan
Serving Humanity by Saving Lives: Health facilities in Newly Merged Districts operating under Public Private Partnership serving people