Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Between 15 and 20 May 2023, two AMDA staff members visited Hungary to discuss further assistance for Ukrainian evacuees with its four local counterparts active in both Hungary and Ukraine. AMDA has extended a helping hand to those who sought refuge immediately after the outset of the crisis, sending 14 relief personnel in total for the relief work.

This time, the two met with the members of the aforementioned partner organizations in succession. The

Ever since the crisis struck Ukraine, AMDA has sent 14 aid workers to neighbouring Hungary from March to October 2022 to help Ukrainian evacuees that fled war zones. During that time, the staff members comprising five doctors, six nurses, and three coordinators engaged in aid work. It included medical relief activities, as well as the provision of food items, medical supplies, and other necessities.

In light of the protracted crisis, AMDA has been continuously working with Hungarian and

In response to the devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye on 6 February, AMDA has carried out emergency relief activities in Adiyaman and other affected areas. For this mission, AMDA has dispatched two doctors, two nurses and one coordinator since 11 February. 
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On 1 and 2 March, accompanied by Turkish medical professionals, AMDA’s relief team visited three villages in Adiyaman to assess the health condition of local residents.  

During the two-day stint, the team saw a total of 27 patients. As most of their symptoms were to do with the common cold, medicine was prescribed as needed. (Local doctors’ associations helped provide the drugs.)

Checking residents’ health at affected villages:

AMDA’s relief team (comprising two nurses and one local supporter) visited villages on the outskirts of Adiyamant, accompanying a local Turkish doctor on his routine rounds.

In Tekpinar and mountainous Başpınar which the team visited on 26 and 27 February respectively, many of the buildings were severely destroyed.

The team went around houses and evacuation tents to

Following the dispatch of the first relief team, AMDA has recently sent the second team of aid workers to quake-hit Türkiye. The second team is comprised of one doctor from Japan and one nurse from the Netherlands. 

With the help of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and other local doctors’ associations, AMDA’s first relief team began their work on 11 February by conducting health-related consultations and item distribution efforts.

As of now, while the doctor of the second team is still on

On 21 February, AMDA’s relief team continued going around evacuation tents in the city of Adiyaman to support quake evacuees who were in need of medical assistance. Among patients the team saw were those suffering from diabetes and other ailments. 

One patient had not been able to retrieve antihypertensive medicine from home as it was not possible for one to enter the house due to its fragility. The team was also told that it made it hard for the patient to go to a hospital because

AMDA’s team of aid workers has been working in Adiyaman since 19 February. Although the team learned that there were two public hospitals (one of which specializes in obstetrics), one university hospital, and two private clinics in the region, the public hospitals and private clinics were out of service after the quakes. 

As mentioned in the previous bulletin, substitute doctors have been sent in from Istanbul and other places to fulfill the lack of manpower in the area. Especially, doctors from

On 17 February, AMDA’s relief team revisited the mountainous Aksu village in Adiyaman, a day after the team assessed the damage due to landslides caused by the quakes. This time, the team brought relief items for the villagers which they requested.

Before leaving for the village, the team purchased winter boots in Elazığ where they had stayed. The shoe shop clerk said many shoes were brought to different towns from the store after the quake struck. “When I went to deliver shoes

On 16 February, AMDA’s relief team moved to heavily-affected Adiyaman for a needs assessment.
 

Assessing needs in affected towns and villages:

On the way to Adiyaman, the team learned that there was one casualty in Çelikhan, a town with a total population of 10,000. Although roads were blocked due to snow, helicopters helped deliver relief supplies to the area.