In a continuing effort to spread health awareness, UNMIS Pakistani and Indian contingents have held free medical and veterinary camps in various Sudanese states over the past few months.

A one-day medical camp conducted by the Pakistanis on 17 February in Bikori, Blue Nile State, treated 1,117 residents of Qeissan locality and also distributed some 128 different types of medicine.

Equiped with specialist outpatient departments, a minor operating theatre, laboratory and an electrocardiograph (ECG) room, the camp was attended by 10 medical officers, two nursing officers and 15 paramedics.

"It is a good beginning that the group of Pakistani doctors visited the locality and renewed our hope of living healthy," said Bikor resident Addabe Nazir.

Attending the camp, Ali Alzain locality commissioner assured local people that the medical camp practice would continue to improve local health standards.

In addition, a veterinary camp was held by the UNMIS Indian contingent in cooperation with the Jonglei State Department of Animal Resources from 13 to 16 January in Panapuet village near Bor.

The camp, organized to assess and control the outbreak of East Coast Fever (ECF) in area livestock, treated 5,207 animals for various ailments.

Inaugurating the Panapuet camp, State Minister of Agriculture, Animals Resources, Forestry, Fisheries and Community Development Issac Ajipa Ochang released a pamphlet on preventive and control measures of ECF in Arabic and English for better understanding of the disease.

In collaboration with Southern Kordofan Vet Department and Kadugli State Vet Laboratory, the Indian contingent also organized a veterinary aid camp on 22 December 2009 at Al Saraf village near Kadugli, which treated 1,845 animals.

"Providing specialist veterinary care to livestock needs to be understood by one and all as this is the main source of livelihood for the locals," said Deepak Vohra, Indian Ambassador to Sudan, as he opened the Al Saraf clinic.