Manila - last day

This morning we submitted the proposal to OFDA. Essentially, my job here is done. I requested to go home early. There is so much to do for our transition in Cambodia and in a couple of weeks I am headed to Thailand. I should be home if my duty is completed here. They agreed with my request. So, I am getting on an airplane in the morning and headed back to Cambodia.

As you know if you read the post from yesterday, I didn't get much sleep last night. My day also started early - 6am. I joined a local church in a medical outreach. Basically, we traveled in to one of the areas where the water is starting to recede. I wanted to observe what treatment looks like under these conditions.

You can imagine all the stuff that is floating in the water, or underneath the surface that can't be seen. People end up with some nasty cuts, or if they had open wounds they get infected. I saw a man today whose big toe was nearly severed. Yuck! Since word got out that doctors would be in the area, lots of people with ailments showed up. In the three hours I was there this morning, they had already registered 500 patients and only had four doctor volunteers and a couple of nurses. The system they had was impressive - intake, waiting room, consultation, they even had a pharmacy set up for those who were issued prescriptions (this part we could not have gotten away with in the States).

Their work met a critical need in these communities. As the water remains, the health issues compound. The lasting effects of the flood could be a health crisis - malnutrition (due to lack of food or diarrheal disease), infections, parasites, mosquito born illnesses, and the list goes on. We are doing what we can to avoid such a calamity and it was encouraging to see another local church serving their community. (NOTE this was done completely of their own effort and resources. We simply showed up.)

We have work going all over the island right now - a truck was on the way to the North to deliver much needed supplies, but had to be diverted due to landslides. Since it was looking for another way around, we just detoured it to the west of the island where the incessant rains are currently doing the most damage. We will work with the UN World Food Programme to airlift another batch of supplies to the north. then we have the work in Manila which I have been most involved in.

I have learned a lot participating in this disaster response experience. Just because I'm returning home, doesn't mean the work stops. the work here will continue at least until the end of the month and possible beyond until the end of the year. Please don't forget the people of the Philippines who have been hit by a terrible storm season.