Saving lives in the Philippines
For a little over a week, Israeli doctors and rescue workers have been giving desperately-needed assistance and relief in the typhoon-struck Philippines.
The biggest Israeli contribution is the Israeli military’s field hospital, the only medical aid facility on the island of Cebu. There, 65 medical professionals and 70 logistics staff are ensuring treatment for the injured – and overseeing the safe arrival to the world of babies born at this difficult time.
Trauma can trigger preterm birth, and as of press time 15 women, all of whom went into early labour, have delivered at the hospital, and all mothers and babies are well. The first, a boy born last Friday, was named Israel in honour of the doctors.
At times, there has been more than one woman in labour. On Sunday morning, three women went into labour and delivered at around the same time. Had the Israeli hospital not been in place, one local doctor would have been expected to take care of all of them at the same time.
Ofer Merin, medical manager of the hospital, told The AJN that it is treating around 200 people a day, commenting that its efficiency is due to the fact that it is entirely self-sufficient. “When we come to a place we don’t need anything from the local population,” he said, explaining that all equipment, supplies, generators, fuel and food arrived with the team.
The hospital team touched down last Thursday, and quickly understood the scale of the devastation. “Even on the way from the airport you could see homes that were completely destroyed,” said Libby Weiss, a lieutenant from the team.
The hospital is preventing serious complications for locals with some simple interventions, he reported. Minor injuries can turn into major issues when there is poor infrastructure,” Merin commented. Relating to more serious injuries he said: “Without us here, maybe some of these people wouldn’t survive.”
Two thirds of the hospital staff are conscripted Israeli soldiers; the other third are reservists like Merin. The team even includes a soldier who was on leave after getting married two days earlier, but who returned to duty to take part in the mission.
Merin delegated his responsibilities as deputy director of Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Centre to fly to the Philippines. His colleagues were full of praise for him – and three other Shaare Zedek doctors who went with him.
“We view it with a great sense of pride that our physicians are able to take leading roles in this mission which helps bring further honour to Israel in the eyes of the international community,” Uri Schwarz, director of international operations Shaare Zedek, told The AJN.
He added that his institution “regularly trains for all types of disasters and it is encouraging to witness how this training can be put to use not just here in Jerusalem but now for the people of the Philippines at this time of tragic need.”
In addition to the Israeli military’s efforts, two other Israeli organisations are active in the Philippines.
IsraAID, a disaster relief non-profit, has a team in Tacloban City in Leyte. It established a new field outreach clinic in partnership with UNICEF, the US Navy and local government officials. At press time 15 Israeli, two German and seven Philippine medical professionals were working together to treat those in need of medical attention.
IsraAID has also distributed humanitarian goods including food, water, and hygiene kits to over 1000 families who have lost most of their belongings.
The Jewish search and rescue organisation ZAKA International has two Israelis and two Americans in the Philippines.
David Rose, director of development for ZAKA, told The AJN: “The more you go into the smaller villages the devastation is terrible.
“There are bodies to take care of, injuries to treat, and missing people to find, and the locals need help. We are doing as much as possible.”
NATHAN JEFFAY