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

On 21 January, AMDA’s aid workers paid a visit to the regional office of Sarvodaya in Nuwara Eliya to discuss further aid activities. The organization has been partnering with AMDA on this mission.
 
At the briefing, approximately 40 people, including public servants, medical and social workers, school teachers, and volunteers, gathered to report the extent of the flood damage.
 
The hearing revealed that over 120 households have remained evacuated due to the delayed progress in the post-disaster reconstruction. Furthermore, issues such as the lack of cold-protection goods in elevated areas, the shortage of medical supplies, the increasing risk of infectious diseases, and inundations at hospitals were reported.
 
On the same day, the AMDA team visited the District General Hospital Nuwara Eliya, a 799-bed regional medical hub with 28 departments, to assess the current situation.
 
At the onset of the flooding, the hospital was left isolated for 10 days, during which around 1,000 patients and its staff members were affected. During this period, the facility had to operate with limited resources, because it could not rely on external help. The hospital also shared footage of the disaster that captured the river flooding and its aftermath.
 
The team also learned that elderly people and those with disabilities were having difficulty accessing clinics due to landslides and road blockades.
 
On 22 January, AMDA’s relief team continued aid activities in Nuwara Eliya, visiting a local evacuation center to provide relief supplies and medical assistance.
 
At the Kandaploa Vinayagar temple, 108 families (414 people) were taking shelter in a 350 square-meter space. The actual number of evacuees was far greater initially as approximately 1,800 people fled from nearby villages to seek refuge in the temple.
 
During the medical consultations organized by the team, ailments such as joint pain, skin infections, hypertension, thrush, diabetes, and cataract, were seen among patients. Cases of asthma, varicose veins, gastritis, headache, and goiter were also found.
 
After the medical relief efforts, the evacuees were provided with lunches, together with bags of rice as part of relief supplies. The shelter, which is said to be the last one to remain open, will be closed in a few days. According to the team, severe road damage caused by landslides was still observed in the surrounding areas.
 
On 23 January, together with its local partners, the AMDA team held a meeting with three representatives of the National Youth Service in Nuwara Eliya. The organization is dedicated to educating young people in the fields of social work, sports, cultural activities, and vocational training.
 
To facilitate post-disaster reconstruction efforts, the team recommended the following activities:
 
1) Home-visits in mountainous areas for the elderly and those with disabilities who have difficulty accessing hospitals
2) A questionnaire-based assessment (which the team developed) to grasp the current state of persons with disabilities and their families
3) Utilizing 2) to organize community-based stakeholder meetings for information sharing.
 
After this meeting, the team concluded its work in Nuwara Eliya and moved to Kandy, a central part of Sri Lanka, which also suffered severe flood damage. The city is a four-hour drive from Nuwara Eliya.
 
Visiting the regional health office in Kandy, the team learned that military helicopters had been deployed to isolated villages for mobile clinic services at the time of flooding. The office outlined their comprehensive plans for further post-disaster responses, focusing on recovery of lifelines and medical infrastructure, along with mental care for flood victims, and disaster-preparedness.
 
In response, the team made three recommendations: 1) the continuation of medical support for those requiring special care, 2) ensuring continuous access to the information pertaining to maternal and infant health at the time of flooding, as well as 3) strengthening communication channels with remote hospitals in mountainous areas. The health office will take these ideas into consideration in their planning.
 
On 24 January, which is also designated as International Day of Education by the United Nations, AMDA, in collaboration with its Sri Lankan partner, the International Organization of Professionals (IOP), co-hosted a seminar in Colombo under the following theme: “Empowering the Next Generation for a Resilient Future.”
 
A total of 25 participants from IOP took part in the seminar, including professionals from diverse backgrounds such as doctors, nursing students, engineers, and corporate managers.
 
Following AMDA’s general introduction, two doctors from the AMDA team delivered presentations as guest speakers.
 
Dr. Kiichi Hirayama from Japan, presented proposals on strengthening community-based social support systems by effectively engaging young people to prepare for unforeseen disasters. The proposals particularly focused on vulnerable populations such as pregnant and postpartum women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities during disasters.
 
His presentation drew on his past experiences in Bhutan as well as the ongoing recovery-support activities in Sri Lanka. 
 
In addition, AMDA India’s Dr. Ramachandra Kamath delivered a presentation highlighting public health challenges encountered during disasters and practical response measures, drawing on lessons learned from past disaster cases.
 
AMDA Sri Lanka is currently planning medical support activities in collaboration with IOP and the regional health bureaus in the suburban areas of Colombo.
 
The team is also scheduled to pay a visit to the offices of AMDA Sri Lanka, local partner organizations, and other relevant stakeholders in the coming days.