DUBAI - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) have signed a grant agreement worth AED550,000 ($150,000) in support of the ICRC's health operations in Pakistan.

The two-month programme is expected to commence in January 2023 and end in February 2023 and will support the running of the ICRC's mobile clinic, part of the Health on Wheels initiative, the ICRC said in a press release today.

The programme will provide healthcare for nearly 19,800 persons and routine immunisation for approximately 280,000 children under five in flood-affected areas and districts of the Baluchistan province. The programme will also include training on pneumonia case management, it added.

Clare Dalton, the ICRC's Head of Delegation in the UAE, said, "We are pleased to announce our new partnership with TBHF, which will support ICRC activities, including primary health care, emergency treatment, and life-saving services to remote communities in need in Pakistan. Our Health on Wheels programme aims to provide immediate relief where existing health facilities have been disrupted and then serve as transition facilities until the health systems capacity has been restored.”

Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of TBHF, expressed her gratitude for the partnership with the ICRC, stating, “This collaboration will allow us to provide vital emergency care and promote health resilience in Pakistan, particularly for young children under the age of five, who have been disproportionately affected by the recent devastating floods. We are thrilled to join forces with the ICRC as we continue to support children and their families with a range of essential services, including healthcare, education, and emergency aid."