ABSTRACT
Before the government of Pakistan requested United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees assistance, the Pakistani-based relief organisations met many emergency needs from tents to blankets to basic office equipment for the fledgling refugee administration. In broadening their activities, the Voluntary Agencies (VOLAGs) are assisted by intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations which channel substantial funds through VOLAGs with established offices in Pakistan. Health has been a high priority since the inception of the refugee assistance programme because there has always been a genuine fear that epidemics could result from the potentially lethal combination of severe overcrowding, lack of sanitation and poor water supplies. Successes in providing more meaningful health assistance have been accomplished through the establishment of Mother-Child Health clinics, special care and feeding programmes with emphasis on nutrition education, instruction in oral rehydration therapy for diarrhoea, and health work and dai training programmes for basic health services.
