Re: Super typhoon Haiyan makes landfall in the Philippines - one of the most intense storms in world history - 5,598 confirmed fatalities
Re: Super typhoon Haiyan makes landfall in the Philippines - one of the most intense storms in world history - 5,598 confirmed fatalities
TYPHOON YOLANDA
HEALTH CLUSTER
Issue #3
NOVEMBER 26, 2013
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Morbidity
To date, the five main causes of morbidity identified include acute respiratory infection, fever, diarrhea, hypertension and skin disease.
In Tacloban, the number of cases needing surgery and in-patient care is decreasing while need for primary health care especially treatment of chronic diseases (e.g. TB, hypertension) is increasing.
Additional needs include disease prevention, mental health and psychosocial support, and water and sanitation.
There is an increased reporting of disease events from the affected areas through the SPEED (Surveillance in Post Extreme Emergencies and Disasters), Event-based surveillance and response (ESR) system and the Philippines Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) system. Based on the reports, the rumours are verified and the updated information is provided.
There are also increasing numbers of cases with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), dog bites and wounds related to debris clearing and recon-struction of houses. Some cases of chicken pox and lep-tospirosis have been reported and verification is currently taking place. Other areas of concern as reported by the medical teams include treatment of spinal injuries and tetanus. Treatment protocols and tetanus immunoglobulin have been dispatched.
In Tacloban city, between 24 and 26 November, the following cases of note were reported:
Suspect leptospirosis cas-es (1 each) from Palo and Tacloban City were admit-ted to Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVRMC)
Suspect tetanus cases (4 in total) from Tacloban city, Tolosa, and Leyte were admitted to Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVRMC)
Functionality of health facilities
DoH reports of initial rapid assessments of health facilities show that 1 150 of 2495 health facilities have been affected. This includes 833 BHS, 235 RHUs and 81 hospitals as well as one CHD-EV. The assessment reports are being compiled by the DoH to be used as a basis for recovery planning.
Although further in-depth assessment of the health facilities are needed to determine specific needs and costing, the current analysis gives a good picture of the situations at health facilities by Region.
Reports of more detailed assessment of health facilities by health cluster partners have also been received.
For example, in Tacloban, assessment shows that there are currently 5 health facilities operational including one public tertiary level hospital and four private hospitals. All five are being supported by public health workers and foreign medical teams that are co-located at the facilities. A secondary level field hospital is operational at the Tacloban airport supported by the Australian government and another field hospital run by a German-Belgian team has been set up at Palo in Leyte province. Overall in Leyte and Samar provinces the operations of health facilities, cold chain system, communications, and other support infrastructure is beginning to be reestablished.
Humedica (NGO) has also conducted a rapid structural assessment of Mother Mercy Hospital. Results show that the 4-storey hospital is serving about 130 – 200 out-patients per day from the community. Part of the ground floor has been converted to a minor surgery centre. The major damage was loss of about 40% of the roof sheeting and the roof structure. This damage has resulted in water ingress into the first and second floors making these floors unusable, particularly with the frequent rains.
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The main public health risks have been identified as follows:
Disruption in the health system including lack of health facilities, primary and secondary health care delivery and the subsequent disrup-tion to universal access to health care
Communicable diseases especially in view of the disruption to the surveil-lance system and problems related to water and sanitation, overcrowded living conditions and low vaccination coverage prior to the event especially for measles. Cholera, dengue and leptospirosis are endemic in many of the affected areas, increasing the risk of out-breaks of these diseases in view of the increased vulnerability of the affected population.
Chronic diseases including interruption of treatment for disease needing long term treatment. This is an in-creasing problem as chronic diseases including hyper-tension and diabetes account for a large number of morbidity and mortality
Reproductive health – high number of pregnant women about to deliver, low capacity of health facilities to deliver obstetric and surgical care
Disruption in cold chain and medical provisions
Lack of water and low sanitation level, and low capacity for waste management, including medical waste
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Follow link for comprehensive report -
http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines/typhoon_haiyan/media/Haiyan.HealthClusterBulletin3.26Nov2013.pdf
