Medical relief for people affected by floods

The World Health Organization (WHO) has transported emergency relief and delivered one million water disinfection tablets to the Ministry of Health to protect the health of people affected by floods.

With strong winds, heavy rains, floods and landslides affecting millions of people in the northern provinces, at least more than 300 people were killed or missing, with hundreds more injured and thousands of households forced to evacuate. The storm also destroyed more than 100,000 homes and hundreds of medical facilities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has transported emergency relief and delivered one million water disinfection tablets to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health to protect the health of people affected by floods.

In many places, the storm disrupted essential water supplies to households and health facilities, as flooding, landslides, strong winds and fallen trees damaged water and power infrastructure, a devastation that could take weeks or even longer to repair and restore.

Dr. Angela Pratt, World Health Organization Representative in Vietnam, said she was deeply saddened that the death toll continued to rise and that many people in the area were at risk due to the consequences of the storm and flood.

As part of WHO’s efforts to support the Government’s response to the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, WHO urgently transported and delivered one million water disinfection tablets and 500 water containers to the Ministry of Health on 12 September.

According to Dr. Angela Pratt, these water disinfection tablets and water containers are expected to be transported to the most severely damaged areas today.

This contribution will help provide approximately 15 million liters of clean water, ensuring safe drinking water for many days and weeks to come for households and for use in medical facilities in the eight most severely affected provinces and cities: Bac Giang, Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen and Yen Bai.

Clean water is critical to help prevent water- and food-borne diseases, to keep health care facilities running safely, and to maintain patient care, whether it’s people injured in storms or floods, or those who need emergency care every day, says Dr. Pratt.

WHO is working closely with the Government and is committed to continuing to support response and recovery efforts in any way possible.

Domestically, hospitals have also taken timely actions to support people affected by floods. Nearly 450 million VND was announced at the Bach Mai Hospital's expanded meeting on the morning of September 13, after 2 days of the Party Committee, Board of Directors, and Executive Board of the Hospital's Trade Union calling on officials and employees to join hands to support and help colleagues, medical staff, and people in the northern provinces affected by natural disasters and floods.

The amount is expected to continue to increase because the activity has been receiving enthusiastic response from staff, doctors, and workers in departments, rooms, and centers in the Hospital. The program was launched from September 11 to September 20.

At Bach Mai Hospital, Associate Professor Dao Xuan Co, Director of Bach Mai Hospital, shared that in addition to calling on all medical staff and workers to support with material, the hospital has also established specialized teams and emergency teams to promptly support colleagues in treating victims and remotely consulting with serious and critical cases.

Organize and send teams of doctors and medical staff to disaster sites to provide relief to localities, provide material and human resources support, and directly help and share the difficulties of colleagues and fellow countrymen.

The Hospital Director emphasized that for cases of victims being transferred to the hospital for treatment, the departments must quickly receive them and focus all resources on timely treatment. In addition, medical staff must be proactive and ready to respond to epidemics arising after storms and floods, and have plans to guide and support colleagues and people in a timely manner.

On the morning of September 13, the National Children's Hospital organized a campaign for all staff, civil servants and employees to participate in donating and supporting people affected by storm No. 3 (Yagi).

At the launch, each officer, civil servant and employee voluntarily donated at least one day's salary. The hospital will transfer a portion of the donated money to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and the remaining amount will be used to organize medical examinations and give gifts directly to each affected locality.

Previously, the Board of Directors also represented the Hospital to visit and provide timely support to pediatric, obstetrics and general hospitals in areas damaged by storm No. 3.

As a final surgical hospital, in recent days, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital has also received emergency treatment for serious injuries after landslides in Yen Bai and Cao Bang. In addition, leading doctors have continuously consulted on emergency treatment for serious cases, promptly treating injuries to patients in conditions where they cannot be transferred to higher-level facilities.

In the spirit of mutual love and support for flood victims who have suffered serious injuries and injuries due to storms and floods, and for medical facilities treating patients, on September 13, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital organized a humanitarian blood donation program to support people in urgent need of blood relief.

The humanitarian blood donation program “White Blouse – Pink Heart” took place with the participation of a large number of staff, civil servants and workers of the hospital. Each drop of donated blood is not only a practical support but also a humane act to support victims of accidents and serious injuries caused by storms and floods.

All precious drops of blood from the program to support people affected by Typhoon Yagi will soon be transferred to areas severely affected by storms and floods, bringing hope and support to help people overcome difficulties and restore their health after the natural disaster.

In the spirit of "mutual love and support", "the healthy leaves cover the torn leaves"..., responding to the call of the Vietnam Health Trade Union, the E Hospital Trade Union launched a call for each E Hospital trade union member to join hands to contribute 1 day of basic salary in September 2024 to the Flood Prevention Fund (of which 80% will be transferred to the Central Relief Committee, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; 20% will be transferred to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor).

In addition, in order to assess the situation and promptly support the cases of E Hospital union members and their families affected by storms and floods, the union leaders of E Hospital have reviewed and compiled a list of union members and their families who have been and are being severely affected by Typhoon Yagi. From there, the Hospital Union will have solutions to promptly support those union members and their families, before September 19, 2024.

Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of E Hospital also launched a call for support and assistance for people affected by Typhoon Yagi.

Forms of in-kind support: Food, drinking water, daily necessities, necessities, supplies, basic essential medicines (no prescription required) and no cash support.

Previously, on September 10, at the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health Trade Union coordinated with the Ministry of Health Office to organize a fundraising ceremony to support union members and workers in the health sector affected by storm No. 3.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Ms. Pham Thanh Binh, Chairwoman of the Health Trade Union, said that more than ever, health workers need attention from all levels, sectors, society and especially from colleagues.

According to Ms. Pham Thanh Binh, these contributions will help reduce losses and damages, helping health workers feel secure in their work, stabilize their lives, and continue to contribute to protecting and caring for people's health.

At the same time, this support also helps damaged medical facilities to quickly restore medical examination and treatment. The Vietnam Health Trade Union will send an appeal letter to grassroots unions, and will receive support from September 10 to September 30, 2024. The donation amount will be sent to the Vietnam Health Trade Union account with the content: "Support union members, workers and medical facilities damaged by floods".

At the launching ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Hung, Chairman of the Ministry of Health's Trade Union, called on more than 1,000 union members and employees of the Ministry of Health to join hands to share the losses of officials, civil servants and employees in the health sector affected by natural disasters and floods.

Mr. Hung also added that the Youth Club of the Health Sector has called for support for health workers affected by storm No. 3. Up to this point, nearly 200 million VND has been raised and is continuing to call for donations.

Also at the event, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen called on all cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers in the entire health sector, with all their affection, responsibility, and compassion, to join hands to donate and support a part of their income, and at the same time, depending on their ability, to support more spiritually and materially to help people in flood-hit areas to soon overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives.

In addition, Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen requested that medical facilities need to quickly overcome the consequences of natural disasters and stabilize to continue medical examination and treatment to serve the people.

At the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, Chairman of the Health Sector Trade Union, leaders of affiliated units and a large number of civil servants, public employees and workers directly donated.

Previously, according to initial statistics, a number of medical examination and treatment facilities suffered varying degrees of damage as a result of storm No. 3. However, the work of receiving emergency care and treatment for patients was still maintained, especially some cases of serious trauma were given timely emergency care.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/cuu-tro-y-te-cho-dong-bao-bi-anh-huong-boi-mua-lu-d224939.html