BIHAR CLINIC CAN CONTINUE BUT NEEDS FUNDING SAYS MERCY'S PRESIDENT

P.VIJIAN

NEW DELHI, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Mercy Malaysia, the only humanitarian agency
which is providing medical aid to flood victims in the interiors of Bihar, said
it is ready to continue the project if funding was available.

The Biratpur Health Centre, in Saharsa district in northeast Bihar, set up
by Mercy, largely to treat flood-hit villagers, may cease operations next month
due to financial difficulties.

"Mercy would very much like to extend the programme beyond February 2010 if
we are not limited by funds," Mercy's president Dr Ahmad Faizal Perdaus told
Bernama.

"If there are any generous donors from Malaysia or international communities
for this programme, Mercy will consider extending the programme," he added.

Hundreds of young pregnant mothers, children and elders from neighbouring
impoverished villages, who had been relying on Mercy's clinic, would be
deprived of decent medical care if the centre was closed.

The Kuala Lumpur-based aid agency needs about US$100,000 (RM350,000) to
sustain its health centre for another year.

Dr Faizal added that Mercy would eventually hand over the project to a local
non-governmental organisation (NGO) or a government agency to manage the
clinic.

"In line with our principles, we are looking to build local capacity and
hand over the project to a credible local NGO or government agency. We don't
intend to stay in Bihar forever," said Dr Faizal.

Mercy was one of the few international agencies, which entered rural Bihar
in August 2008, when the Kosi flood devastated the northern Indian state,
displacing nearly two million people.

Since then, it had provided extensive medical aid to the villagers and spent
nearly US$250,000 (RM875,000), setting up mobile clinics and distributing
medicines and basic necessities to villagers.
--BERNAMA