MERCY Malaysia in Chile to provide medical assistance to most affected area following massive earthquake and tsunami on 27 February 2010.
Attending the needs of the Constitución’s community, a coastal town of 60,000 inhabitants and the most affected by strong earthquake and tsunami on 27 March, a team from MERCY Malaysia arrived in the town last Friday 26 March to provide support in particular in the primary healthcare services.
Among the many sickness following the earthquake and tsunami are diarrheas and vomiting, due to stomach infections caused by lack of hygiene and poor manipulation of food in diverse shelter camps. According to Dr. Ho Loon-Hsin, medical doctor of the team, there also exist post traumatic stress symptoms among the consulted patients.
“We are here to support the local medical professionals of the Municipal and Ministerial Health Services of Constitución and its surrounding areas as well as to provide primary health care in shelters camps and rural hospital,” said Mr. Raja Manickam, chief of the team.
The team comprised of a general practitioner in primary healthcare, a Ph.D. psychologist expert in post traumatic stress by disasters and two nurses specializes in primary and maternity care. All members of the team are trained volunteers with vast experience in post disasters and traveled to Chile to work together with the Center of Family Health Care of Cerro Alto.
The team stayed in Constitucion for two weeks, attending health care to four shelter campers who lost their houses and are now living in temporary houses provided by different organizations from state and private sectors. To-date, the team attended an average of 50 patients per day, examining and supplying appropriate medicines.
Other sicknesses that have been treated by the team are: fungus, flu, respiratory infections, wounds and bruises done by the tsunami and because of the difficult conditions they are living at the moment.
“It is a big help to us to have medical assistance since we are isolated and we cannot go to a health center, specially our elders and children. That is why we are thankful for the help of the Malaysia doctors, who came from so far to help us” said Evadio Perez Rojas, President of “Quebrada Pichaman” community, one of the most isolated areas of Constitución.
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