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176790
Wed, 04/20/2011 - 12:50
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http://m.oananews.org//node/176790
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EMIT quickly moves to set up more mobile rescue units
BANGKOK, April 20 (TNA) - The Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand (EMIT) is moving quickly to set up more mobile rescue units to aid flood victims, starting with a training-project piloting in Phuket, Lop Buri, and Prachin Buri. It also plans to sign an agreement with the Marine Department to further enhance its marine rescue operation. Meanwhile, Ministry of Public Health has revealed several areas in Surat Thani province are affected by polluted floodwaters, where one person has been found to have leptospirosis and more are expected to become infected.
Dr Chatree Charoencheewakul, secretary-general of EMIT, said that recent floods and landslides in the Thai South have taught EMIT valuable lesson. It has come to realise the need to further develop mobile rescue units in order to deliver timely operation to help the victims. EMIT is preparing to train more staff as it plans to set up another 20 mobile rescue units, in addition to 10 existing ones. Each mobile rescue unit consists of 7-11 members of staff that have experience in the medical field to handle a problem in hand. It prepares to pilot training projects in 3 provinces, namely Phuket, Lop Buri, and Prachin Buri with representatives from Ministry of Public Health, private and military agencies. The training is expected to take 10 days and will cost estimated initial 3-5 million baht.
Furthermore, EMIT is preparing to sign an agreement with Marine Department next month. The agreement will allow EMIT to select volunteer marine officers to participate in its marine rescue mission. Such a move is expected to enhance EMIT's marine rescue operation. Most of operations carried out recently in the south were voluntarily conducted by private rescue teams, Ruamkatunyu Foundation, Pho Teck Thung, Swangparpisarn Foundation, Sawangmathee Foundation, Sawangboriboonwittaya Foundation.
Nattawut Prasertsiripong, Surat Thani Provincial Public Health Officer, said that people lacked access to information from the authorities concerning flood-alerts and prevention and insisted that this needs to be urgently addressed. He also acknowledged that this year floods were worst than 2010.
Regarding flood situations, Nattawut said floods have eased in most of areas but not in Phunpin District. However, polluted flood-waters have harmed farms in several regions and authorities have had to pump out polluted water hourly to reduce the amount of pollutants while putting Effective Microorganisms or EMs in to treat the water. So far one person has been found to have leptospirosis, though more are expected to get infected by the disease. The Department of Disease Control mobile units are working to spray smoke to kill mosquitoes. People's stress levels have also reportedly reduced. (TNA)
Dr Chatree Charoencheewakul, secretary-general of EMIT, said that recent floods and landslides in the Thai South have taught EMIT valuable lesson. It has come to realise the need to further develop mobile rescue units in order to deliver timely operation to help the victims. EMIT is preparing to train more staff as it plans to set up another 20 mobile rescue units, in addition to 10 existing ones. Each mobile rescue unit consists of 7-11 members of staff that have experience in the medical field to handle a problem in hand. It prepares to pilot training projects in 3 provinces, namely Phuket, Lop Buri, and Prachin Buri with representatives from Ministry of Public Health, private and military agencies. The training is expected to take 10 days and will cost estimated initial 3-5 million baht.
Furthermore, EMIT is preparing to sign an agreement with Marine Department next month. The agreement will allow EMIT to select volunteer marine officers to participate in its marine rescue mission. Such a move is expected to enhance EMIT's marine rescue operation. Most of operations carried out recently in the south were voluntarily conducted by private rescue teams, Ruamkatunyu Foundation, Pho Teck Thung, Swangparpisarn Foundation, Sawangmathee Foundation, Sawangboriboonwittaya Foundation.
Nattawut Prasertsiripong, Surat Thani Provincial Public Health Officer, said that people lacked access to information from the authorities concerning flood-alerts and prevention and insisted that this needs to be urgently addressed. He also acknowledged that this year floods were worst than 2010.
Regarding flood situations, Nattawut said floods have eased in most of areas but not in Phunpin District. However, polluted flood-waters have harmed farms in several regions and authorities have had to pump out polluted water hourly to reduce the amount of pollutants while putting Effective Microorganisms or EMs in to treat the water. So far one person has been found to have leptospirosis, though more are expected to get infected by the disease. The Department of Disease Control mobile units are working to spray smoke to kill mosquitoes. People's stress levels have also reportedly reduced. (TNA)
