The United Nations health agency is racing critical medical supplies to fourteen of Nepal's most earthquake-affected districts in an effort to restore health services before the onset of monsoon season. In a press release issued earlier this morning, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed it will be distributing 50 medical camp kits, also known as MCKs, in collaboration with Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population and the World Food Programme (WFP) as part of the UN's continuing on-the-ground relief efforts aimed at patching up the country's beleaguered healthcare networks. “The MCKs will ensure continuity of care during the rainy season as there is no time to build permanent structures,” Dr. Frank Paulin, the WHO's Acting Representative in Nepal, explained. “The Foreign Medical Teams (FMTs) have done a wonderful job but there are only a few FMTs in each district, which means that the majority of health posts are nonfunctional and patients must travel long distances to reach facilities,” he added. “The MCKs will therefore improve availability and accessibility of health care.”
