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

AMDA Philippines recently submitted an activity report to summarize its emergency relief in response to the extensive flooding that affected the Philippines’ Luzon region and its surrounding areas in mid-July. Due to combined effects of Southwest Monsoon and tropical storms that lasted for a week, some areas in the region, including Manila, were inundated.
 
Project overview:
 
On 25 July, AMDA Philippines carried out aid work in five locations including a high school in the city of Valenzuela in Metro Manila, where evacuees were taking shelter.
 
In preparation for the relief work, AMDA Philippines asked AMDA International and its partners to provide support, in which necessary coordination was made within two days. At the time, a state of emergency had been declared in Valenzuela, where flood water had still been seen in some parts of the city.
 
According to Dr. Erica Tania Davillo who heads AMDA Philippines, there is a possibility of another relief work during the post-disaster phase.
 

【Activity summary from Dr. Davillo】

 
Under the spirit of Bayanihan (which means mutual assistance in the Filipino language), our chapter was able to organize relief efforts with over 100 volunteers in attendance. Although it was organized on short notice, the work ended productively. 
 
 
On 25 July, we conducted emergency relief in Valenzuela on the outskirts of Manila where a state of emergency had been declared. The contents of the aid work we conducted in five locations are as follows:
 
1) At Valenzuela National High School in the Marulas district, we provided medical services along with the distribution of hot meals and recreational activities for children.
 
2) For other four locations (shelters set in elementary and high schools), the relief work was primarily medical activities.
 
In total, 750 people benefited from our medical assistance, receiving free medicines as required. Regardless of age or sex, many people were suffering from the common cold, where symptoms such as fever and cough had been seen. In addition, flood-related infections, as well as worsened cases of chronic illnesses (stemming from evacuation stress) were also identified. 
 
As for the cases which were difficult to handle on the spot, such as hypersensitivity reactions (of unknown causes), asthma, tuberculosis, and hypertension, the patients were referred to nearby medical institutions and hospitals.
 
During the hot meal distribution, porridge and freshly baked bread were offered to 800 people. Furthermore, games and recreational activities were organized to ease the mental burden of the children at the shelters. A total of 30 children participated in these activities.
 
We are confident that we were able to send a message to the affected people that they were “not forgotten.” Meanwhile, many people voiced their concerns over their unknown future, not knowing if they could rebuild their daily lives after losing their work.
 
At the same time, words of gratitude were heard from many people for the assistance they received from local authorities and aid organizations.
 
Thanks to the Valenzuela city government for declaring a state of emergency, it made an enormous difference in swiftly deploying medical resources and responding to the needs of the affected. This enabled aid workers to reach out to evacuation shelters as soon as possible.
 
Requests for long-term assistance for children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses were also heard.
 
AMDA Philippines worked with the following organizations for this mission:
 
-Philippine Medical Student Association
-Tau Gamma Phi
-Valenzuela National Highschool
-Rotary Club Manila 101
-Philippine College of Occupational Medicine
-Barangay Marulas