Wounded civilians flood hospitals

Pakistan’s offensive against Taliban militants in the country’s northwest is overwhelming medical resources in the Swat Valley, hospital officials said on Friday.

Staff members from Mardan Medical Centre have treated 2,124 patients from clashes between the Pakistani military and Taliban fighters in more than two weeks of fighting, according to Dr. Arshad Ahmed. Many of the injuries have been shrapnel wounds.

UN officials have said they expect as many as 10,00,000 civilians to flee the entire Swat region as fighting — now into a third week — expands.

The hospital has set up two treatment centres — near the towns of Takhtbar and Shehzad, where refugee camps have been established for those displaced by the fighting.

District Hospital in Mardan is “ill equipped to deal” with the people coming through its doors for treatment, said Aziz, the hospital’s chief medical officer, whose first name was unclear. He said there are severe shortages of staff and supplies, including painkillers and antibiotics.

The hospital has not received any dead, according to Aziz, who said people with serious injuries are being transferred to Peshawar.