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In this feature article, Maddy Wright and Ankur Gupta explore the challenges faced in South Asia three months on from the devastating earthquake.

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South Asia Earthquake: the ongoing health challenges

Following the earthquake on Oct 8th in northern Pakistan, the crisis is far from over. After the initial devastation, there remains enormous threat of a ‘disaster within a disaster’. In addition to the common problems in the aftermath of a natural disaster, such as trauma, water, sanitation and communicable disease, Pakistan faces some larger health challenges. Many of these are specific to the climate and terrain of the region affected, and further complicate the inevitable consequences of any emergency of this scale.1

The strong winds and heavy snow have created an environment wrought with dangers for both the residing communities and the relief effort attempting to access them. It became a government priority for those made homeless by the earthquake to have access to ‘winterised’ tents for protection from the extreme weather conditions. As the first snow had fallen before this could be ensured, many of these people are in danger of hypothermia, especially those already weakened by injuries or disease. Thousands have only plastic sheets if anything at all to protect them from the freezing conditions.2

Alma Mata Newsletter

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• in-depth features on careers, education and training,
  
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• update on Alma Mata activities.

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Current Issue:

Newsletter #5 November2006

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Oxford University Press are offering Alma Mata members discounted books. Choose from their massive range of titles, including the Oxford Handbooks range and a wide variety of global public health, epidemiology and tropical medicine texts.