AmeriCares is preparing an emergency shipment of medicines and supplies for more than 600,000 people displaced by the recent fighting in the embattled Swat Valley in Pakistan. As the violence intensifies between the government and Taliban militants, it is estimated that as many as 1.3 million innocent civilians will be forced to flee their homes.

The emergency shipment includes critical supplies needed for safe surgeries and wound care. Pain relievers and medications for people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, will also be included.

In January, as part of AmeriCares ongoing work with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Pakistan, a shipment of medical supplies was delivered – more than half of which were sent to the Swat Valley where they are being used in hospitals and clinics treating civilians wounded in the conflict.

Since 1982, AmeriCares has delivered nearly $47 million in assistance to Pakistan.  In 2005 when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake left three million people homeless in Pakistan, AmeriCares provided emergency aid, supported the rebuilding of local health centers and established a state-of-the-art field hospital.