Five weeks after Typhoon Haiyan the death tool is nearly 6,000, and more than 1,700 people are still missing. The widespread devastation has affected more than 12 million people, displacing and injuring tens of thousands. According to CNN, the U.S. has dedicated more than 13,000 military personnel and $32 million to recovery aid.
In the wake of such a natural disaster, public health becomes an immediate problem, and San Diego-based Scripps Health is one of the many healthcare organizations that has stepped up to the plate to practice medicine where it is needed most.
The hospital's medical response team has partnered with the nonprofit International Medical Corps to provide medical care in the town of Tacloban, which is, according to Scripps CEO Christopher Van Gorder, one of the hardest hit communities. While the team is currently waiting for clearance to depart, the logistics of the trip are already in place. When the Scripps team is deployed, the hospital's partnership with IMC ensures the team will be well supported to do what they do best — provide medical care.
Scripps has several medical response teams ready to deploy. Each is 10 people strong and consists of two physicians, one psychologist and seven nurses prepared to travel with just 24 hours notice. The teams train together on a regular basis and deploy with California's mobile field office.
The work they do in a disaster-struck community varies depending on the how soon they arrive after the event. According to Mr. Van Gorder, who is a veteran of several of these medical missions, there is a distinct, three-stage progression to the medical needs after a natural disaster.
"First responders deal with traumatic injuries with trauma and surgical interventions. During the following weeks, care moves to people that are sick. People in wet weather living outside means there are a lot of people with respiratory illness and pneumonia, which creates a need for respiratory care and antibiotics. Then there is a period of care for chronic illnesses and regular medical conditions. Since there's no normal healthcare system, the third medical issue is routine care."
While the Scripps team will be deployed in this third phase, they're not completely sure what to expect. In a disaster zone, all conditions are possible. When the Scripps emergency medical response team deployed to Haiti after the earthquake in 2010, Mr. Van Gorder describes conditions as 'battlefield medicine'. "I've never seen so much death and destruction in my life," he says. "It's hard to describe. But the compassion people show is extraordinary."
Once deployed, the team will be in the Philippines for at least three weeks. To be ready at a moment's notice takes real planning. Leaving families and work means finding people to take over jobs, having up-to-date vaccinations, obtaining gear and training, and being prepared mentally and physically.
But in the end Mr. Van Gorder says it's worth it. "These are some of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had — giving medical care when it's absolutely critical. We do this because we have the capability to help others and because we can bring lessons back to our own organizations. With disasters we learn more about the mental fortitude it takes to function in a disaster versus in routine medicine. It gives us capability to be more functional — we get more than we give," he says.
Note: The above photo shows a Scripps team in Haiti in 2010.
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