Bicol team of doctors aids Ondoy victims

(Sept 28 - Oct 2, 2009)
A group of Bicolano doctors voluntarily offered assistance in the relief and medical operations for the victims of Ondoy’s wrath in Manila after it devastated thousands of shelters and livelihoods, leaving their places submerged into floods.

The first batch of the Department of Health (DOH) CHD Bicol Health Emergency Management Team (HEMT) Operation Tulong left for Manila last Wednesday (September 30) to assist other doctors in treating patients who were affected by the typhoon’s aftermath.

According to Officer in Charge Assistant Regional Director Dr. Virgilio Ludovice, the team will be immediately deployed in Tanay, Rizal, which also coincided with the request for assistance of the DOH Region IV-A Director Gerardo V. Bayugo.

The HEMT is composed of 20 personnel from the CHD Headquarters in Legazpi City, the Bicol Medical Center (BMC), and the Bicol Sanitarium (BS), including five medical personnel and a surgeon, six nurses and support staff trained in Basic Life Support (BLS).

All of its members had trainings during the disaster brought about by previous typhoons which devastated Bicol, including the Super typhoon Reming last 2007. The team is also self-sufficient as they brought along their own necessities, sleeping bags and tents, said DOH V.

Overall Team Leader Dr. Rose Rempillo, regional health emergency management services coordinator explained that the HEMT will be endorsed to Director Bayugo medicines, medical supplies and relief goods including 1500 pieces of new sleeping materials for distribution.

The other team leaders who extended aids to the victims are Dr. Jimmy dela Vina of the BS and Dr. Pastor G. Consolacion of the BMC.
We also intend to impart our experiences in managing health emergencies during disasters, Dr. Rempillo said.

“Our medical team is meant to address the immediate physical and medical concerns. The WASH team is in charge of water safety and waste management especially in evacuation sites. The DS team conducts surveillance on disease outbreaks which may occur during disasters, while the MHPSM comes in after to conduct stress de-briefing sessions for disaster victims,” she said.

Rempillo added that in preparation for any eventuality and as a follow-up on the initial medical assistance, the DOH CHD Bicol Water, Sanotation and the Mentl Health and Psycho-Social Management (MHPSM) team is on alert status for possible deployment.