Philippines: Ongoing aid to the most vulnerable almost a month after violent tropical storms

In Manila and the north of the Philippines, MSF teams continue to assist the most vulnerable people affected by tropical storms Ketsana (known locally as Ondoy) and Parma (known locally as Pepeng). The powerful weather systems struck the country on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, affecting more than 8.4 million people and causing 849 deaths.

NEWS | 23 October 2009

In Manila and surrounding areas, tens of thousands of people are still living in very critical conditions in crowded evacuation centres or partially flooded houses, following the devastation of the storms that hit four and three weeks ago.

These living conditions expose the population to waterborne and contagious diseases and close medical follow-up is critical.

In the slums near a canal east of Manila and in all affected areas of Laguna Bay, MSF has been running mobile primary healthcare clinics with referrals to local hospitals.

“The most frequent diseases we see are respiratory and skin infections as well as diarrhea cases,” explains emergency coordinator Pierre Luigi Testa. “Some of our teams also assist the Department of Health with the national vaccination campaign for measles and ensure tetanus vaccines are provided to those in need.”

MSF has conducted more than 2,220 consultations since the beginning of the emergency and also offers mental health support to flood victims when needed.

In the crowded evacuation centres, MSF has set up 50 latrines. In the flooded areas where people are staying in makeshift houses, MSF runs human waste disposal activities to reduce the risks of contamination as most latrines remain underwater. MSF has also provided sanitation kits with chlorine and brushes to improve hygiene in some of the evacuation centres.

In some of the neighbourhoods around Laguna Bay, MSF is supporting the control and surveillance of possible cases of diarrhea as well as leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by exposure to animal urine.

MSF also supports the Department of Health in the treatment of patients, sanitation activities and health promotion in communities in areas where there has been an increase in acute watery diarrhea. Thirteen water tanks will also be provided to ensure safe stocks of water.

More than 17,000 people have received hygiene kits from MSF in Manila and surrounding areas. These include hygiene items such as soap and tooth brushes as well as cooking utensils and blankets. Materials to build shelters were also distributed in some of the places where people had lost their houses.

Meanwhile MSF teams have also intervened in Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Pangasinan and Tarlac provinces, in the northern island of Luzon, where typhoon Parma has wreaked havoc after weeks of continuous heavy rain.

In Pangasinan and Tarlac provinces, dozens of cities and communities where flooded after the authorities released water from local dams to prevent them from overflowing after typhoon Parma’s torrential rain.

MSF has conducted over 1,930 medical consultations and distributed 6,700 hygiene kits as well as 520 construction kits where houses had been damaged or destroyed. Another 6,000 hygiene kits and 600 construction kits should be distributed next week.

An MSF water and sanitation team have started construction of 40 latrines for displaced families in Rosales, Pangasinan province. Following an assessment in Benguet province, MSF is also planning to provide construction kits where communities were devastated by severe mudslides after weeks of heavy rain.

After hitting the Philippines, tropical storm Ketsana also struck Vietnam, killing dozens and flooding populated areas. MSF sent a nurse and a logistician to assess the needs of victims in Da Nang, Hoi An, Quang Ngai, and Kon Tum in central Vietnam. As a number of other organizations are responding, MSF has chosen not to begin an emergency intervention in these areas.