AMDA-Japan tsunami relief: update 29th March 2011

(2011-03-29) In response to an increasing number of requests coming in from foreign organizations in joining AMDA's relief work, AMDA has started to collaborate with the overseas relief teams. Iwate Prefecture (Kamaishi City and the town of Ohtsuchicho): Relief supplies and medical services have been relatively fulfilled at the larger evacuation centers in Kamaishi City, however, the stock management of the aid goods has been an issue. On the other hand, communication lines have not yet recovered in the town of Ohtsuchicho where some of the evacuation shelters in the remote area are left deserted. AMDA team uses electric vehicles to deliver mobile clinic services to these shelters and uses other means to enter the sites in a mountainous area where road access is difficult. Most of the patients are the elderly who cannot go to the hospital even after their medicines ran out. For this reason, health conditions of the patients with chronic diseases have been worsened as they were left untreated. Hence, AMDA team is delivering mobile clinic services to these sites on a regular basis. Miyagi Prefecture (the town of Minamisanriku-cho): Minamisanriku-cho AMDA personnel have been working in two teams at Shizugawa Elementary School and Shizugawa Junior High School. The team in Shizugawa Elementary School is working with a local doctor who is spearheading the medical relief. They are also providing mobile clinic services to smaller evacuation shelters. Ailments such as depressive symptoms, panic disorders and suspected influenza cases were found among some of the patients, however, the most pressing issue is the fulfillment of medicines for those with chronic diseases. The patients have no means to obtain their medicines after they ran out. Likewise, AMDA tries to complement this by delivering mobile clinic services. As of now lifelines including electricity, gas and water have not yet recovered in the area. Latest dispatch of AMDA personnel (as of Mar. 29th): 14th team: 4 doctors, 1 psychotherapist, 2 coordinators, 2 nurses (Mar. 27th) 15th team: 2 doctors, 1 pharmacist, 3 nurses, 1 coordinator (Mar. 28th) Teams from the overseas (Mar. 28th-29th): 1) Korean team (Korean Medical Association, Medipeace): 3 doctors, 2 coordinators, 1 interpreter 2) Malaysian team (MERCY Malaysia): 2 coordinators 3) AMDA Indonesia team: 2 doctors (including AMDA chairperson), 2 medical students The number of AMDA's relief personnel thus far: 88 35 doctors, 14 nurses, 2 midwives, 1 assistant nurse, 3 pharmacists, 1 psychotherapist, 30 coordinators, 2 medical students Stay tuned for more updates.