Mountain Medicine Markaz  ^{Est. 2010}

Muhammad Ilyas, Farakh A. Khan, Nasir ud Din Mohmand

 Man, Mountain and Medicine, Volume II, PHF, 2002

Introduction

 Pakistan Heart Foundation (PHF) started mountain medicine activities as mobile camp clinics in Chitral and the Northern Areas during 1974. The First Volume of the monograph: Man, Mountain and Medicine was published by the PHF during 1986. The II International High Altitude Medical Seminar (Gilgit 1986,PHF-PGMI), left a trail to follow, and recommended setting up a mountain medicine center.

                                            Chasing the  footsteps of Dr. M. Aslamkhan (left), Prof. Shigeo Mori (2nd left),

                                            Prof. Peter Harris (3rd right), Prof. Inder S. Anand (2nd right), Gilgit Seminar, 1988.

There are several mountain medicine centers in the world:

                  Mountain medicine centers in Asia

 Objectives

 A Mountain Medicine Markaz is planned for community organization for participatory development, management, monitoring and evaluation of the following activities to become sustainable:

1. Basic health and population welfare through mobile camp clinics. Including

    mother and child care education,  iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) control,

    awareness against drug abuse, environmental degradation, hepatitis and AIDS.

2. Public health education for sanitation, hygiene and drinking water.

3. Training of lady paramedics (LPM) and arrangements for village health units (VHU).

4. Informal education for women.  Vocational training, capacity building and fund generation activities for women with emphasis on

    utilization of local raw materials.

5. Information and study of mountain medicine and high altitude related health hazards.

6. Preparation, publication and distribution of health education literature.

Project Plan

A plot of land in Khruzg has been acquired by the Pakistan Heart Foundation. Khruzg is centrally located with Ishkuman, Yasin and Ghizer Valleys (Northern Areas) in the east, Torkoh, Mulkoh and Lutkoh Tehsils of Chitral in the west, Upper Yarkhun and Barogil Valleys and adjoining Wakhan (Afghanistan) in the north. A Mountain Medicine Markaz has been planned to provide social service in this remotest highland of Chitral. The Markaz will consist of four blocks of buildings. The project seeks to involve the communities in all phases of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Site for the Mountain Medicine Markaz, Khruzg.                                                        Proposed plan for the Markaz

 References

1. The Guidebook Company Ltd., Hong Kong, 1993.

2. Hultgren, Herb. High Altitude Medicine, Hultgren Publications, Stanford,

    California, 1997.

3. Kalash: Social and Health Profile, Pakistan Heart Foundation, 1989.

4. Man, Mountain and Medicine, Pakistan Heart Foundation. Volume-I,1986.

5. Mirrakhimov, M.M. Heart Disease and High Altitude (Russ.), Frunze, Kyrgyzstan, 1971.

6. Proceedings of High Altitude Medicine Seminar (Gilgit, 8 countries) 1988.

7. Rahmat Karim Baig, Hindukush, Study Series, Volume I, Rehmat Printing Press, Peshawar, 1994

8. West, J.B. High Life, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998.

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