CNPA Physician Participates in Medical Mission in Rural Pakistan

Omar Jaber, MD, MPH is a pediatrician at CNPA Foggy Bottom and CNPA Capitol Hill.

Last summer, I had the privilege of participating in a medical mission in northern Pakistan through the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) in partnership with the local non-governmental organization, Comprehensive Disaster Relief Services (CDRS). I was the only pediatrician and the only American physician on a team of medical personnel who successfully treated Omar Jaber nearly 2,000 patients in just five days. It was challenging and exhausting, but a very rewarding experience, nonetheless. I found myself speechless at times witnessing the hardship and resiliency of the children despite their circumstances. Of course, not being Pakistani myself, there was some measure of “culture shock,” adjusting to the rural lifestyle of the SWAT region that has been often attributed to dangerous groups like Al-Qaeda.

Spending time at an international medical facility with limited resources renews an appreciation for the amenities and resources that are available to me on a daily basis. Access to clean water, food, medicine, shelter and clothing are so easily taken for granted in the United States. Many of the conditions that I saw, like typhoid, an infectious form of diarrhea, or intestinal parasites, were a result of poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions that would be entirely preventable under better living conditions. “Leg pain” was a common complaint of these children, something I would often diagnose as “growing pains” here in Washington, D.C., but was more caused by chronic strain on a child’s legs from walking through rocky terrain barefoot or in worn-out sandals. Furthermore, vitamin deficiency and malnutrition certainly played a role in a child’s physical complaints of weakness, soreness or pain. It was common to see many children walking on with no parent in sight, some that could not have been more than 9 years old, carrying their infant siblings on the sides of unpaved roads that were crowded with automobiles swerving in and out of imaginary traffic lanes. The scent of diesel gas from the delivery trucks was pervasive and there was always a friendly fly within swatting distance.

I am blessed to be given this opportunity to use my medical training to help such a welcoming community, and the team was able to make an impact on a community that is in so much need. It was a life-changing experience working with a brilliant team in a beautiful place with remarkable people. I am pleased to be in a profession and to work at an institution with colleagues who support this type of work.