MakatiMed reaches out to Yolanda survivors

MANILA, Philippines - Premier health institution MakatiMed and Strategic Hospital Alliance Program (SHAP) partner Tacloban Doctors Medical Center (TDMC), in collaboration with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), have joined forces in their efforts to provide immediate medical relief to fellow Filipinos affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

“Our medical relief missions are about doing our share in the aid of our own people and our own country during a time of extreme need,” said MakatiMed president and CEO Rose Montenegro.

“The hospital lives up to its commitment to be a ‘Hospital with a Heart,’ offering the best of our services with utmost malasakit for our Filipino brothers and sisters,” Montenegro added.

With TDMC serving as the prime base of operations, MakatiMed has set up an ER on-ground and sent over a composite medical team to provide aid and medical assistance to Yolanda survivors.

Together with the arrival of the team was the transportation of medical supplies and food, which was sent over via a C-130. The MMC Foundation also released and distributed 1,000 emergency family health kits through the PRC.

To date, MakatiMed has serviced close to 1,000 patients in Tacloban City. Two more composite medical teams have also been dispatched to the Yolanda-stricken city to continue and sustain ongoing efforts.

According to medical director Dr. Benjamin Alimurung, the MakatiMed organization has deployed several composite 24-member teams of experienced physicians and specialists in internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, OB-gynecology, anesthesiology, general and orthopedic surgery, along with clinical nurses, medical and radiology technicians, in a joint medical relief mission with TDMC, an area partner hospital, in cooperation with the PRC.

The outreach medical service to the communities in extreme need has been ongoing since late November in the aftermath of Yolanda.

“Many of the cases treated were the expected febrile illnesses, upper respiratory tract infections with coughs and colds, and gastrointestinal disorders brought about by the constant exposure to the elements and very challenging living conditions among an increasingly vulnerable population of the very young and elderly,” said Alimurung.

The teams also administered 247 anti-tetanus vaccinations to prevent more serious health complications following a wide range of traumatic injuries from the powerful winds and storm surge. 

The hospital has also been assisting the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in developing a system to increase the production of relief goods and ensure their immediate dispatch to designated ports, airports, and via land. At present, the effort has yielded a significantly increased production of goods, from 20,000 packs to 75,000 packs daily.

Led by Montenegro, MakatiMed was also able to raise a total donation amount of P8,547,273, with the help of its employees, its Medical Staff Association (MSA), doctors led by department chairman Dr. Regina Macalintal-Canlas, the Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation, and other partners, with the amount still increasing as the hospital continues its efforts to encourage contributions from donors.

Building on its present initiatives, MakatiMed will continue to work with TDMC to closely monitor its operations in Tacloban and coordinate with NROC for the consistent production, release, and tracking of relief goods, as well as assist in the creation of a long-term disaster emergency contingency plan.

“As true, caring Filipinos who love our country, we at MakatiMed are committed to invest every effort to help rebuild and restore lives,” Montenegro said.

“As we are a nation that has found solidarity in the face of such a tragedy, we intend to continue working with our partners to ensure that help is provided to those who need it,” she added.