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Aiding Tsunami Victims
"Our team of six physicians and public health professionals have seen over 600 patients, many of whom suffer both physically and psychologically from the tsunami."
Watch a CBS News video clip featuring the doctors
In the past few weeks, many Tsunami-torn countries have seen an outpouring of support ranging from donations to medical aid. The Griffin Center for Health and Human Rights in Connecticut sent a group of physicians and public health professionals to help in the relief efforts. This is a blog of their travels across Sri Lanka from Joanne Cossitt and Dr. Ramin Ahmadi, who is an Associate Clinical Professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, Program Director for internal medicine residency at Griffin Hospital and founder of Griffin Center for Health and Human Rights.
Matara District, Monday, January 10, 2005:
We arrived back in Colombo January 8. The scene had drastically changed from just a few days before. Military personnel from the US, Canada and multiple relief agencies were assembling in major hotels. The place had become chaotic but we were able to make arrangements to move South with the help of Hasha Da Silva from the Ministry of Health. Later on our way, we learned through a Singhalese radio broadcast that there had been a bombing in one of the refugee camps in Batticaloa, where we had been just two days before.
The Griffin team headed down the Galle road towards Matara. The shoulders of the road were covered with debris and ruins of a once thriving community. The smell of burning garbage was only periodically relieved by the smell of rotting plants and animals. Some of our team were nauseated.
Along the way, we saw railroad tracks that once ran parallel to the road, now twisted into roller coaster like shapes, the ground having been washed away from underneath the tides. About half way through the trip we found the train itself. Approximately 900 people died when the train was forced off the track by the tsunami. The cars of families and relatives were parked along the road while they searched for artifacts.
We have seen two refugee camps here in Matara, treating about 50 patients today. Most of the children looked healthier than in the east, but we are told that the people cry at night remembering the tsunami. Harry Smith from CBS' morning show interviewed the team.
Tomorrow will be more camps.
Joanne Cossitt
Ramin Ahmadi
Griffin Center for Health and Human Rights
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Batticaloa District, Thursday, January 6, 2005:
On Monday (Jan 3rd) we left Colombo for Batticaloa, traveling 8 hours over extremely perilous roads. Batticola is on the east coast of the country, so we were required to cross through the entire country. Parts of the journey took us through "unsecured" areas, meaning the Tamil Tigers are in charge.
Meeting with the local district health authorities, we learned that there are currently 94 refugee camps with close to 41,000 families. We have been assigned daily to these camps that are scattered along the coast.
The Ministry of Health has provided us ample supplies of medicines, as well as assistance from the local hospital nurses. Each day 5 or 6 nurses join our team. They arrive every day at 8:00am sharp in their white starched nursing uniforms -- hats included. Students are distinguished by their red belts while the fully trained nurses wear black belts. Our nurses have been indispensable, providing translation, medication distribution, and expertise on the local population.
So far we have visited 4 camps. What we see is devastation and trauma. Refugees live in makeshift camps that usually function as schools or churches. Our team of six physicians (surgery, infectious disease, pediatrics, general medicine) and public health professionals has seen over 600 patients, many of whom suffer both physically and psychologically from the tsunami.
The majority of cases are respiratory tract infections as a result of exposure and living in close quarters. We have been detecting several new cases of diarrhea and have warned the health authority of potential dangers of shigella and cholera epidemics. The authorities have been supportive and reacted quickly to our reports. As a result, we were quickly supplied with stool cultures. Our main concern is possible contamination of water supplies and lack of access to clean drinking water.
Because Sri Lanka experiences few natural disasters (the last was a typhoon in the 70's) their disease surveillance and disaster management capabilities have been overwhelmed. What is normally a functional epidemiological system, has required extensive adaptation and evolution. Our team has assisted the Batticaloa authorities in designing a new surveillance system for the refugee camps and surrounding villages.
Our team is trying to move south, where many of the buildings are destroyed. We'll keep you posted.
Sincerely,
Joanne Cossitt
Ramin Ahmadi
Griffin Center for Health and Human Rights
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Colombo, Sunday, January 2, 2005:
Griffin team met with Sri Lanka's Director of health at the ministry of health. We were very warmly received and met all other directors and deputies. We were taken to the crisis management center where coordination of relief activities for the entire country is taking place.
Here is the latest: About 1 million people have been displaced as a direct result of the Tsunami. Currently there are 700 camps in the country. US marines arrived today and will head south. The prime minister is visiting Jaffna (northern province).
We asked to be sent to the area with the most needs. They told us Batticaloa is the place to go. It is far east coast and sustained heavy damage. We will be transported there for free courtesy of one of the Ford company subsidiaries! We will leave for Batticaloa early in the morning. We also asked for additional medical supplies and antibiotics and they quickly provided us with everything we asked for. The material is there. The problem is transport.
Everyone has been very helpful. The officials are grateful and supportive. Once we leave Colombo in the morning we may not have access to email or phone. Please do not worry for us. We will try to keep you updated.
Ramin Ahmadi
Griffin Center for Health and Human Rights
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