- To treat the injured in Loon, most affected town with two-third of total disaster casualty; only hospital completely destroyed
The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) today deployed its second mission to Bohol Island in the Philippines. The eight-member medical response team comprising volunteer doctors and nurses will join the Philippine Red Cross to help in manning a field hospital over the next nine days.
The follow-up mission was commissioned after the SRC reviewed the site assessments and recommendations by the first response team.
One of the hardest hit towns, Loon is home to two-thirds of the overall casualty, and its only hospital was crushed by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake. The community is now depending on a field hospital (in temporary tents). It is expected that walk-in cases would spike as the roads to this medical facility get cleared.
“The earthquake may have happened two weeks ago, but its impact is gradually becoming more visible. We are worried for those with long-term conditions such as respiratory illness and those who sustained injuries but have not yet been treated. These conditions will be exacerbated due to the lapse of treatment as medical services were affected by this disaster. They need urgent medical attention before their conditions deteriorate. With challenging living conditions in temporary housings and evacuation centres, the risk of communicable disease is a real concern,” explained Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General of Singapore Red Cross.
“We will partner our sister national society the Philippine Red Cross in rebuilding the town’s medical and health capacity by sharing our medical expertise at a critical time as such,” he added.
To date, over 53,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed, more than 380,000 people displaced, 195 lives lost and more than 650 people injured. Immediately after the disaster, the Singapore Red Cross launched an emergency appeal to aid relief efforts, sent its first tranche of relief supplies worth S$100,000, and deployed its first response team for relief and assessment.
About the Mission
Singapore Red Cross has identified medical care needs as the priority and its main focus for the second mission. Supported by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and led by SRC’s Head of Community Services Ms Serene Chia, the SRC response team would augment the existing but stretched medical services operating the field hospital that was set up by the Philippine Red Cross.
On the 8-pax response team: 1 team lead (also a registered nurse), 3 doctors, 1 nurse, 1 paramedic, 1 first aider, 1 logistician
This provision of medical service is part of Philippine Red Cross’s emergency humanitarian assistance to 50,000 people that also include emergency shelter, food, clean water and psychosocial support.
Dates: 26 Oct – 3 November 2013 (9 days)
How to Donate
Cash / Cheque
Visit the Red Cross House at 15 Penang Lane Singapore 238486, on weekdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm to donate cash, or post your cheque to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’ at the above address. Please indicate ‘Southeast Asia Emergencies’ on the back of the cheque, along with your name, contact no. and address.
Electronic Payment (AXS)
Visit any AXS Station island-wide to donate to the appeal. Click here for the locations of over 840 stations.
Alternatively, you can also make an Online Donation via:
DBS iBanking
- Login to DBS iBanking
- Select “Payment Services” on the left navigation panel
- Select “Bill Payment” on the left navigation panel
- Select the following from the drop list: “SEA Emergencies 2013“
- Enter your telephone number as the Bill Reference Number
- Select the deposit account to debit
- Enter the donation amount
- Select “Confirm” to complete the transaction
DBS/POSB ATM
- Insert your ATM card and enter PIN when prompted
- Select ” More Services” and language
- Select “Credit Card/Bill Payment”
- Select from the billing corporation list “SEA Emergencies 2013“ (Press 99 to go to the next page, repeat and you will see the desired name)
- Enter your telephone number as the Bill Reference Number
- Select your account type to debit the donation
- Enter the donation amount
- Select “Confirm” to complete the transaction
For any public appeals, the Singapore Red Cross will not deduct more than 5% of the funds raised to cover appeal costs. Should the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the immediate and rehabilitation needs of the people in the affected areas, Singapore Red Cross will direct the excess funds to other emergency preparedness and/or community programmes initiatives for disaster affected communities.
How to Volunteer
The Singapore Red Cross welcomes volunteers to man its hotlines and fund collection booths. Please register with the volunteer team at 6664 0500.
(Date: 26 October 2013)
