Operational Summary:
HelpAge USA is rapidly responding to the needs of older people affected by the floods in Pakistan. HelpAge has partnered with medical aid agency, Merlin International, to provide targeted emergency care to the most vulnerable older people and their families in the Nowshera district in Northwest Pakistan. Preliminary efforts include distributing mobility and hearing aids, emergency health assessment kits, as well as household items such as food, flashlights, bedding, and water containers. HelpAge and Merlin’s collaborative efforts have successfully established 17 health centers in conflict zones in Pakistan and have provided 24-hour medical care services to over 200,000 people, with a special emphasis on the unique needs of older people.