Ruffy Magbanua
AHEAD of El Nino’s stifling exit, the state’s weather bureau announced that about 20 typhoons are expected to hit the country in the second half of the year.
And we are now half-way through 2016 and that would mean an average of three typhoons each month expected to hover elsewhere in the country starting July and onwards.
Just how strong and damaging each typhoon would be, and where it would make landfall, only God knows.
With the onset of La Nina, these questions arise: Are we ready for the coming of another round of disasters? Do we have a coherent, well-organized and responsive disaster management system in place?
How do we deliver health care in the aftermath of a natural calamity? Do we have a comprehensive and systematic roadmap on disaster management?
These are some of the many disturbing questions raised during a Thursday forum organized by a private group in preparation for the rainy days. Foremost of the topic discussed was the insurmountable effects typhoons would bring to flood-prone cities like Cagayan de Oro and nearby areas.
Before a select crowd of HR practitioners, Dr. Gina Itchon, director of Xavier University’s Center for Sustainable Sanitation, presented her paper entitled: “How is Health Care Delivered After a Disaster? Implications for Effective Management Policies.”
The Itchon research paper revealed that there was insufficient attention given to the scientific study of flood relief operations in the country, in particular to the organization of medical support.
Based on the “Sendong” experience, the study found out that one-third of all ER consultations were children, they being vulnerable during disasters. Trends indicated as well that there were different medical needs at different times and occasions.
The Itchon paper also revealed that surgical operations of flood victims, most of whom were found to be women and children need immediate medical attention.
Also, water-borne infectious diseases were prevalent after 10 to 14 days and rodent-borne diseases, 14 days after. Of these concerns, medical supplies and personnel needs also differ.
Itchon says the occurrence of leptospirosis epidemic about a week after the flood could have been avoided if there was proactive action taken by health authorities.
The study also found out that surgical injuries predominated in the immediate post disaster period. There was also this immediate need for health facilities properly equipped with sufficient power and water supplies.
These findings, according to Itchon, made it apparent that providing immediate medical and surgical services in the intermediate period after a flood needs to be more coherent and systematic.
When asked about what the government should do following her findings: Itchon, a medical doctor and concurrent associate professor of Xavier University’s College of Medicine, replied: “I don’t exactly know what our authorities in government should be doing. I have a specific role that is conducting research studies on the effects of disasters and other natural calamities.”
Perhaps the Itchon findings may be considered by the incoming Duterte administration as a wake-up call so to speak, albeit unsolicited in form.
To the members of the People’s Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Chapter, Itchon’s presentation served as an eye-opener, a relevant guidepost in the implementation of their respective CSR initiatives particularly during calamities and disasters.
Itchon, a renowned homegrown social scientist had been a favored resource person to speak on the effects of disaster and its implications to society in several local and international climate change fora.
She leaves this key message to government to ponder: An organized, coherent, and responsive health services are vital to health disaster management efforts during natural calamities.
E-mail: ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo.com
