Rotarian flies to Aid Earthquake victims

They flew to Pakistan and treated hundreds of patients, saving dozens of lives.

The devastation and  the suffering which they encountered was on a scale which none of team had previously encountered.

But in five days the seven-strong medical team saw 1,200 patients and carried out 130 operations, mainly for broken bones and gangrene, including two amputations. All survived.

For Mr Iftikhar (50), of Snelston Crescent, Littleover, the conditions he and his colleagues had to live in, albeit only for a week, was also a shock.

Living in a tent, sleeping in their clothes because of freezing temperatures at night, they washed with bottled water and went to the toilet in the open air. Balakot's infrastructure has been destroyed and there is no sanitation.

He said: "It was very difficult for us. None of us had experienced conditions like that before

The team took 130 cartons of medical supplies and 50 cartons of blankets, water filter boxes and other supplies, plus £40,000 in donations to give to people for food, clothing and transport.

The money was raised locally by the Rotary clubs in Derby, from personal donations and by collections, including a two-day collection outside St Peter's Church, Derby, which SVP Syed Iftikhar helped with.

The photographs which he brought back with him reveal the extent of the damage – and also the presence of the Aquaboxes which the team took with them

SVP Syed  was on leave but the rest of the DRI team were given time off by Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

And now that he has returned to the United Kingdom he is keen to continue the work that has been started and has set up a web site at  www.mdauk.co.uk   with the intention of raising funds to build a brand-new hospital.