The Philippines has been hit with four Typhoons in the past month. The most recent storm, Typhoon Mirinae followed the same route as Tropical Storm Ketsana and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. The four storms have affected more than 9 million people and it has been reported that 123 416 people still remain in evacuation centres. There is fear that rains from the most recent storm may unleash rivers of mud and volcanic rock from the most active volcano in the Philippines located in Albay province. This has the potential to cause additional destruction and death.
Communities living in flood waters and in emergency camps are under the constant threat of infectious disease outbreaks caused by the interruption of safe water and sanitation systems. Leptospirosis, a disease contracted from people living in the floodwaters, is already in outbreak proportions. It was confirmed on 27 October, 2009 that the national total for Leptospirosis was 2 894 cases with 210 fatalities since the disasters. Cholera and other devastating diarrheal diseases could occur at anytime and AAI is working hard to identify potential outbreaks through regular healthcare clinics and providing prevention activities alongside water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects. It has been reported that in evacuation facilities the top five morbidities that are being presented include: acute respiratory illness, skin infection/wounds, acute gastroenteritis, influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness/pneumonia.
AAI continues to provide outreach and mobile medical clinics in some of the worst affected communities. These communities have been severely affected by typhoon Ketsana and remain submerged due to the flooding of Lake Laguna . The constant barrage of typhoons has meant that there has been no immediate decrease in flood waters.
The large number of people requiring healthcare is presently overwhelming an already struggling local healthcare system. AAI is setting up a longer term health project plan to ensure that those communities affected by the typhoons have continued access to primary healthcare services whilst they are displaced.
Along with local partner, the Republic of Philippines United Nations White Helmets (RP UN WH) and the Civil Defence Action Group (CDAG) AAI has now partnered with a Swiss NGO Foundation- Suisse de Déminage (FSD). This foundation has been one of the first organisations in the area to commence a UNICEF hygiene promoter's course to conduct water and hygiene programs in selected communities. The hygiene promoters will come from the hundreds of locally based volunteers already supporting AAI.
AAI's mobile and medical clinics have been supported by Direct Relief International (DRI). DRI has been providing much needed medical supplies and these supplies have allowed AAI to run successful clinics and to treat hundreds of patients in need of medical attention. DRI has been a reliable and positive partner for AAI.
AAI has also established a new partnership with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC). CRWRC will assist AAI with their healthcare clinics through the provision of medical supplies and resources. AAI will be able expand their clinics to provide more services in more affected communities.
The combined efforts of AAI, RPUNWH/CDAG, DRI and CRWRC means that AAI will be able to continue to deliver high quality and effective health services to some of the most affected communities in the Philippines.