Mercy Malaysia sends team to Bihar, India, to kick-start health centre

Late last year, the state of Bihar in India suffered its worst flood in history, displacing a staggering 3 million people, destroying thousands of acres of land the people used to grow food.

Amid sickness and poverty, those affected were struggling to survive. MERCY Malaysia responded to their plight by providing basic health services through mobile and static clinics in the Madhepura District, which had some of the worst-hit areas. As at January 2009, MERCY Malaysia doctors have treated 16,247 through its mobile clinics and another 9,815 at its static clinics.

To realise its commitment to long-term, sustainable projects that would build and sustain communities, MERCY Malaysia deployed to team to Bihar to set up a health centre. On February 12, 2009, Programme Officer Ms. Elliane Arriany and Health Coordinator, Sister Che Tah Hanafi were deployed to the Sonbarsa Block which houses a population of 176,546. This district has a high number of malnourished children while communicable diseases, especially malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, are rampant.

MERCY Malaysia will be working with Doctors For You, an international medical NGO, to implement the project. Both parties are hopeful that once the project is completed, it will ensure equitable and quality healthcare for the impoverished Indians of Saharsa.