Government weather agencies predict further rainfall and flooding in Manila and northern provinces as tropical storm Kai-Tak (“Helen”) intensifies. Officials are preparing residents to evacuate or re-evacuate from low-lying areas.

In addition to donating medical goods to support the ongoing needs of healthcare providers, Direct Relief has supported past emergency response efforts in the region. In 2009, Direct Relief donated more than $190,000 (wholesale) in medical aid and $15,000 in cash grants to support victims of Typhoon Ketsana.

The post Responding to Flooding in the Philippines appeared first on Direct Relief.

Immediately after the typhoon hit, AAI was on the ground in the Philippines providing emergency medical services and working to prevent disease outbreaks. Its team also helped establish field hospitals and coordinated relief efforts with nongovernmental and governmental agencies. Direct Relief supported AAI’s clinics and medical outreach with almost $200,000 (wholesale) in medical material aid. In the severe flooding, AAI conducted medical outreach missions by boat to reach patients in need. It reports that it has treated more than 6,000 patients to date.

With the recent $15,000 grant from Direct Relief, AAI will provide relief health services to 10,000 people, and provide emergency trauma management and training to at least 30 local health workers. This will increase access to services for vulnerable populations, and equip local healthcare providers with skills for early warning disease surveillance, international disaster medicine, and hygiene promotion.

The post $15,000 Grant Supports Recovery Effort in the Philippines appeared first on Direct Relief.

“Our biggest problem in the Philippines has been getting medical supplies,” said Frank Tyler, AAI’s director of operations recently. He added that procuring them in-country “costs a fortune,” which means that Direct Relief’s donated materials help AAI provide more care to more people in need.

Experts in emergency field medicine, AAI’s doctors and other healthcare professionals arrived in the Philippines immediately after Ketsana hit, and have been providing medical care to people in the worst-affected communities.

Through its medical outreach and mobile clinics, AAI is caring for flood survivors and is working to prevent infectious disease outbreaks. With floodwaters not receding and more than 86,000 people still living in often overcrowded evacuation centers, primary health concerns are acute respiratory illness, skin infections or wounds, acute gastroenteritis, influenza-like illness, and pneumonia. Leptospirosis has affected almost 2,900 people, killing 210.

Typhoon Ketsana and subsequent storms have caused the worst flooding in the Philippines in 40 years. Standing water and disrupted sanitation systems are exacerbating the potential for cholera and other diarrheal disease outbreaks. As part of its preventive work, AAI is also training local volunteers to be hygiene promoters to help educate the population about avoiding infection.

In frequent contact with AAI, Direct Relief is preparing additional aid shipments to support quality healthcare for people in the Philippines most affected by flooding.

The post Emergency Aid Provides Needed Care for Flood Survivors appeared first on Direct Relief.

At its mobile clinics in the city of San Pedro de Leon southeast of Manila, the most-affected and least-accessible region, AAI’s team has put first priority on treating vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. Conditions in the highest prevalence among shelter populations are diarrheal diseases, skin infections, fever, and respiratory infections.

With extensive experience in emergency field medicine, AAI is especially well suited to provide treatment in compromised settings. Its staff also trains local healthcare workers in emergency field medicine during its response work as well, which expands the capacity and knowledge base of local responders.

The post Direct Relief Equipping Emergency Medical Team in Philippines appeared first on Direct Relief.

The emergency consignment includes antibiotics, analgesics, wound-care supplies, and equipment designated for Kim Long Charity Clinic, which operates an outpatient hospital in Hue with a staff of 50 doctors as well as seven clinics throughout the country. It has been a Direct Relief partner for two years.

FedEx has committed to airlifting medical aid to the Philippines as Direct Relief’s response to the typhoon there continues. Working closely with partners in Manila, Mercy Relief, and other organizations both nongovernmental and governmental, Direct Relief is identifying specific medical needs of partners and people displaced by the typhoon. Nearly 500,000 people have been displaced and 300,000 are living in shelters.

Several health issues arise during floods, including skin infections, diarrheal diseases, and respiratory infections, all of which are exacerbated in crowded shelter conditions. Direct Relief’s emergency response team is working to provide fast, targeted, appropriate assistance in the wake of Typhoon Ketsana.

The post Emergency Aid Expands to Vietnam in Ketsana’s Wake appeared first on Direct Relief.

According to partner reports, the main health issues currently facing the affected population include the lack of potable water and water-borne illnesses like diarrhea and skin infections, which are common during large-scale floods. High concentrations of displaced people are usually correlated with an increase in upper respiratory conditions as well.

Direct Relief is currently collaborating mainly with Mercy Relief, a Singapore-based secular non-governmental organization focused on shelter, water and sanitation, livelihoods, education and healthcare.

Several of Direct Relief’s longtime corporate supporters have already pledged commitments of support, including Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Direct Relief has also made contact with the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles to offer assistance through official government channels.

Ketsana, a Category 1 tropical storm at the time, landed on the island of Luzon on the morning of September 26, bringing over 15 inches of rainfall within 6 hours and causing severe flash floods in 25 provinces and cities. At least 140 people have died and 32 are missing as of Monday morning, according to official government reports.

Direct Relief has a long history of responding to flood emergencies worldwide, as well as supporting healthcare in the Philippines dating back to 1964. Since 2000, Philippine partners have received over $3.6 million (wholesale) in specifically requested medical material assistance.

The post Direct Relief Extends Emergency Medical Aid to Philippines appeared first on Direct Relief.