The Philippines is the world’s 12th most populous country and has the highest birth rate in Asia. A large part of the country is mountainous, and the presence of 20 active volcanoes means that earthquakes and eruptions are fairly commonplace.
In 2009 a series of powerful storms damaged or destroyed much of the country’s health infrastructure, leaving millions in urgent need of health care and the country’s health system in need of long-term rehabilitation.
Emergency response
In October 2009, Merlin launched an emergency response to the severe flooding and landslides caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma. The storms caused more than $30m worth of damage to health facilities and affected 8.4m people, with 250,000 being forced to stay in evacuation centres. A clear issue is the potential for a secondary disaster centred on communicable disease outbreaks following both storms and the temporary breakdown of the health system in the affected areas.
After coordinating with the Department of Health, UN agencies and other partners, Merlin did a rapid assessment in mid-October in Pangasinan, La Union and Rizal provinces, before focusing on Rizal. There we performed an in-depth analysis of the severely affected areas of Binangonan and Cardona, with a particular focus on Talim Island in Lake Laguna. Emergency health activities have now begun there.
HOW MERLIN IS HELPING
Training health workers
Two nurses and 10 midwives will be trained in treating diseases and health education.
Providing medical equipment
A standard health kit containing basic medicine and equipment will be provided for each health station and basic furniture distributed to all affected facilities according to need. In addition two ambulance boats in Gulod and in Subay will be purchased.
Drugs and disease surveillance
Merlin will support and coordinate the government prevention strategy for infectious disease, through the monitoring and follow-up of drug administration for target families. Two nurses and 10 midwives will be trained in data collection, compilation and analysis for disease surveillance.
Rehabilitation
Merlin construction specialists will evaluate health structures at sub-district and municipal level to identify precisely the type of damages and the kind of repair needed. Damaged structures will undergo rehabilitation.
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Basic hygiene kits will be distributed to affected communities. Work is planned on the testing, treatment and rehabilitation of water sources.
Donors supporting Merlin’s work
DEC, Man Group |