Press Release/ 11 October 2022
The Department of Health- Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) has completed its week-long medical mission in the Island Municipality of Burdeos in Polillo Islands in the Province of Quezon which severely damaged by super typhoon Karding on September 25, 2022.
“Batay sa assessment ng team natin, Malaki ang pinsala ng Super Typhoon Karding sa Polillo kung saan unang nag landfall ang bagyo. Nasa limang barangay ang higit na nangailangan ng medical response and supplies augmentation. Kaya nagpadala tayo ng Medical Teams to conduct medical mission in the area,” DOH CALABARZON Regional Director Ariel I. Valencia said.
The 36-member medical team, comprised of medical professionals from the DOH Regional Office, Quezon Provincial Health Office (PHO), and Batangas Medical Center (BatMC), was deployed in the Island Municipality of Burdeos from October 3 to October 9, 2022, led by Dr. Voltaire S. Guadalupe, of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management for Health (RDRRM-H),
The team provided medical and public health services, such as disease surveillance, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and nutrition in emergencies, to five barangays: Palasan, Mabini, Bonifacio, Kalutkot, and Carlagan.
Medicines were distributed that include Co-Amoxiclav, Multivitamins Syrup, Salbutamol sulfate (inhaler), Mefenamic capsule, Vitamin B1 B6 B12, Oral Rehydration Salt, Zinc Syrup, Amlodipine tabs, Losartan, Ascorbic Acid Tabs, Ascorbic Syrup/tabs, Amoxicillin Capsule, Troclosene Sodium Tabs, Cloxacillin caps, Doxycycline caps, Multivitamin for adult (Myrevit) and other supplies: Newborn kits, 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, cot bed, Long lasting Insecticide Treated Nets, Emergency Disaster Relief Tent, and Generator Set.
“We did not expect to accommodate hundreds of patients from 5-isolated island barangays of Palasan, Mabini, Bonifacio, Calutcot (Sitio Pandan, Maybubon, Bagong Silang, Judith, Cenro) and Carlagan, these residents are mostly fishermen who lost their boats and root crops due to Super Typhoon Karding,” said Dr. Guadalupe.
Acute respiratory infections, knee wounds, nail punctures, head and neck lacerations, fever and seizures, diarrhea, fungal infections, skin infections, body aches, menorrhagia (heavy/prolonged menstrual bleeding), broken forearms, swollen feet, hypertension, asthma, and bronchitis were health issues noted by the medical team.
Two (2) weeks after Super Typhoon Karding wreaked havoc on the town of Bordeaux, residents' homes still show signs of the devastation it caused.
“From a health workers point of view, much is still needed to repair the lives of the affected island residents, including clean drinking water, electricity, maintenance medicines, psychological first aid, long-term sources of nutritious food and laboratory diagnostic tests and health infrastructure,” Dr. Guadalupe added.
Based on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) report, Super Typhoon Karding left 12 confirmed deaths, 52 injured, 5 missing, and more than 3.12 billion pesos’ worth of damage in the agriculture sector.
Through its Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management for Health, DOH has taken a proactive role in aiding the areas that disasters have harmed. When Typhoon Odette slammed Siargao Island in December of last year, DOH CALABARZON sent a 20-member medical team to augment medical and logistical assistance.
