Qatar Red Crescent Relief Efforts Continue in Philippines

Doha, March 03 (QNA) - Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) continued humanitarian relief efforts in northern and eastern regions of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines which were hit by tropical storm Washi in the middle of last December that left hundreds dead, wounded or missing and destroyed hundreds of homes. In a press release today QRC said a delegation from QRC recently visited the affected areas on the island to assess the situation on the ground, in cooperation with the Philippine Red Cross, to ensure the success of the society's relief plans which include three programmes, namely the provision of food and non-food emergency assistance, preparation of housing units to accommodate those affected, in addition to medical care. He said the food assistance programme, which benefited more than 1,000 affected families, has been completed while the preparation of 400 transitional housing units to accommodate those affected will be implemented over 6 months, according to the highest International Standards. The third programme (Medicare Care) includes the operating of a rapid medical intervention unit which is a small field hospital with a capacity of 20 beds fitted with equipment and means sufficient for the treatment of 100 cases per day for 30 days. The statement said that the medical team which will work in this unit consists of 3 doctors and nurses, noting that t the unit will start work at the city of Cagayan de Oro, home to more than 15,000 displaced people. The statement pointed out that the role of the medical team will not only the provision of medical care services but also the organizing of training courses on health relief to Philippine personnel who will later run the unit which QRC will donate the Philippine Red Crescent to support its medical relief capacity and to contribute to providing the most important needs of emergency intervention in a country exposed annually to more than 20 flood waves. (QNA)