Fatehpur Medical Camp

6 July

The Fatehpur camp was certainly the most exotic of the camps; it was conducted at the Hindu shrine of Fatehpur, which is also a Moslem (Gujjar) village on the top of small mountain overlooking the valleys of the Peer Panjal submountain range, just south of Kashmir proper.  The camp targetted ethnic Gujjars, who are predominantly poor and nomadic shepherds, who are religiously Moslem but culturally distinct from the Kashmiris.  The Gujjars (and Bakerwals) are considered "scheduled tribes," which is Indian legal-speak for "downtrodden  peoples" who have special protected economic status.  Gujjars are wonderful people, but these nomads have had the misfortune of coming in the cross-fire of the militants, who terrorize them for not collaborating in their smuggling and infilitration attempts.  A few days before this camp, there was a massacre of Gujjar villagers in Rajouri... a few weeks later, a Gujjar father and son were beheaded. About 200 patients attended, with about 120 served.

 

The pharmacist examines a prescription at the Fatehpur camp.

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A Gujjar boy at the camp with a all-body skin disorder causing dryness, scaling, and hyperpigmentation.

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Some of the medicines from the camp.

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The Fatehpur team.

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