Experience of a Medical Assistance for Disaster Caused by a Typhoon of Haiyan in the Philippines.
- Author:
Tae Ho YOO
1
;
Won Suk JUNG
;
Kyeong Hoon SUN
;
Yong Jin PARK
;
Sun Pyo KIM
;
Seong Jung KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea. ksj@chosun.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Disaster;
Typhoon;
Medical assistance
- MeSH:
Cyclonic Storms*;
Disaster Medicine;
Disasters*;
Humans;
Medical Assistance*;
Philippines*;
Sanitation
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2014;25(3):223-230
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan attacked the Philippines, causing damage to many houses and trees as well as loss of many lives. A medical team from our hospital and university was sent to Philippines in order to provide medical assistance. We wish to describe our experiences of disaster medicine and discuss problems and improvement points. METHODS: We analyzed the characteristics of patients who received medical treatment administered by us at Tagobon city in the Philippines for five days. RESULTS: We provided medical services to 951 patients for five days. Most patients visited us for medical treatment not trauma. Almost all chief complaints were associated with respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and ophthalmologic symptoms. We mainly treated the patients with medications. CONCLUSION: During the subacute period after the disaster, most patients complained of medical and dermatologic problems due to lack of sanitation rather than traumatic complications. Medical assistance for disaster should be administered appropriately according to the types of diseases that occurduring each period after disaster.
