Haiyan (Yolanda) Med Ops 2013


In early November 2013, The Philippines was struck by a massive typhoon and its effects have been devastatingly widespread.
Changi General Hospital recently combined with Mercy Relief to send a medical relief team to Ilo Ilo province of Panay Island in the Western Visayas archipelago.

The week long mission saw the team combine with local doctors and american nurses from RNRN to run mobile clinics in northern Ilo Ilo (Estancia area). The team effectively triaged, saw and treated in excess of 1800 patients. The range of cases included malnutrition to infected wounds to psychological debilitation. 

Those of you who know about disaster medicine will appreciate that building capacity for the Philippines will take more than this but the international co-operation and determination of the NGOs is heart lifting indeed. Throughout the effort, HELP Panay and Panay CDR were indispensable for logistics and pharmaceutical support. Do help out these organisations if, however and whenever you can.

We hope 2014 brings happier tidings for our neighbours in the Philippines.

Pics are with permission from patients and the NGOs involved.


CGH Cardiologists getting into the act!

Makeshift pharmacy
Mercy Relief's Mary keeping kids occupied (also called group therapy)


Collage of pics from Mercy Relief's FB page


Sometimes the only place with natural light for procedures was God's table


After a friendly USA vs SG basketball game - kids thrashed us both!


Team Singapore (2nd from left is Thomas Ho from MR) 

Many more (hundreds) of pictures from the trip can be viewed at this link.

A video grab from US television news is shown below. (CGH team at 00:19 and 01:45)

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