Asian Tsunami Disaster (2)
--------------------------
More details from Holly Ladd about responses to tsunamis cross-
posted from e-drug with thanks.
Of special importance: What NOT to do?
(Inappropriate Responses; see
http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/ems/tsunamis/en/)
--
Beverley Snell
mailto:bev@burnet.edu.au
Asian Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster
-------------------------------------
Health workers and others involved in relief efforts will find
links to treatment guidelines and other medical and public
health references for the prevention and treatment of diseases
prevalent in the aftermath of floods and other disasters on our
website www.healthnet.org
We will continue to update this reference list and invite your
suggestions for content. Those without web access may request a
copy of any document listed on our site by sending an email to
hnet@healthnet.org and we will respond as quickly as we can.
Please pass this message on to your contacts in the affected re-
gion who are able to receive email.
regards,
Holly Ladd
Executive Director
SATELLIFE
mailto:hladd@healthnet.org
WHO has this advice on its web site:
www.who.int/hac/crises/international/asia_tsunami/tsunami_sitrep2/en/:
The immediate concern is to ensure the health of the survivors.
We are working to determine their number, location and condi-
tion. We know that there has been massive damage to infrastruc-
ture and that between three and five million people throughout
the region are unable to get the basic requirements that they
need to survive and cope.
The priorities:
Provide medical and surgical care to the injured. Some hospitals
are overwhelmed by the influx of injured. Doctors and health
workers are working around the clock to cope.
Ensure that clean water in adequate quantity is available to all
affected populations, together with adequate and sufficient
sanitation facilities in temporary camps and settlements to re-
duce the risk of outbreaks of different diarrhoeal diseases such
as diarrhoea and dysentery.
Ensure that survivors who have lost their homes do not live in
conditions that are overcrowded, unhygienic and/or dangerous:
These conditions increase the risk of acute respiratory infec-
tions that can quickly develop into pneumonia and emerge as ma-
jor causes of death - especially among children and old people,
if left untreated. Across the region, essential medicines and
trained health care workers must be easily accessible for all
affected population.
South East Asia is endemic for malaria and dengue fever. Flood-
ing and stagnant water will create especially favorable condi-
tions for the mosquito vector and heighten epidemic risk for in-
dividuals and communities in overcrowded conditions and tempo-
rary shelters.
We are concerned about the contamination of the environment by
toxic chemicals if hazardous industries, pesticide warehouses
for agriculture, gasoline tanks, oil pipelines and/or waste dis-
posal sites are flooded and destroyed. Flooded and destroyed fa-
cilities are prone to release chemicals into the environment re-
sulting in immediate health risks as well as medium to long-term
health consequences from direct contact of the chemicals with
humans as well as indirect exposure such as through chemically
contaminated drinking water or food.
What NOT to do? (Inappropriate Responses; see
http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/ems/tsunamis/en/)
Medical or paramedical personnel or teams: Do not send them!
They would arrive too late. Local and neighbouring health ser-
vices are best placed to handle emergency medical care to disas-
ter victims.
Field hospitals, modular medical units: Do not send them! This
type of equipment is justified only when it meets medium-term
needs. It should never be considered unless it is donated.
Household medicines or prescriptions: Do not send them. These
items are sometimes medically and legally inappropriate. Consult
first WHO's guideline on essential drugs and the local authority
of the beneficiary country.
Temporary shelter such as tents: Do not send them! As temporary
resettlements in relative houses or in public edifices are by
far more appropriate than creating population displacement
camps.
Unilateral decision on resource allocation: Do not take it with-
out evidence of needs.
For the composition of the WHO Emergency Health kit see:
http://www.who.int/medicines/library/par/new-emergency-health-kit/nehk98_en.pdf
Kits can be ordered from IDA (www.ida.nl) 24h IDA Hot-line: +31
6 51219522 (Mrs. Ingeborg Jille)
IDA Foundation supplies the New Emergency Health Kit (NEHK)
which includes medicines, disposables and instruments, suffi-
cient to support 10.000 people during a 3-months period. The New
Emergency Health Kit consists of a Basic Unit and a Supplemen-
tary Unit.
IDA code 101001: NEHK Kit Basic Unit (one basic unit of 10 basic
boxes): all identically packed. Every basic box (numbered 1-10)
contains: medicines, renewable supplies and instruments.
IDA code 101008: NEHK Supplementary Unit (without psychotropic &
narcotic drugs, with tramadol): a supplementary unit contains 3
boxes of medicines, 5 boxes of IV fluids, including giving sets,
3 boxes of renewable supplies and 3 boxes of equipment.