GENERAL INFORMATION:
Tropical storm Ondoy (international code name Ketsana), with maximum winds at the centre of 85kph and gusts of up to 120kph, hit Luzon island on 26 September 2009, including the national capital, Manila. The storm flooded villages and roads, sometimes covering entire homes, and forced thousands of families to seek shelter in evacuation centers.
Areas affected include Regions I to V, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the National Capital Region (NCR) including Metro Manila. As of 30September, 0600H, 373 675 families (2 254 915 individuals) have been affected, 78 892 of which (389 616 individuals) are in 561 evacuation centres.
Damage to Infrastructure:
Cost of damages has reached PHP4.7B (USD 99M).
Health Impact:
Assessment of health impact of the floods highlighted the following problem areas and possible areas for intervention:
1. Increased risk of outbreaks of measles, diarrheal diseases, water-borne diseases, vector-diseases (i.e. dengue fever)
2. Lack of potable water supply in most affected areas
3. Lack of disease surveillance and referral systems within affected communities
4. Damage to health facilities (health centers and hospitals) resulting disruption of health services in most affected barangays (including child immunizations, prenatal care)
5. Questionable sustainability of existing medical supplies
6. Sanitation issues in evacuation centers and affected communities
7. Lack of proper care for pregnant and lactating women among the displaced
8. Evacuation centers - limited health care service (Mobile and outreach work is lacking)
9. Lack of family planning supplies for continuing users
Casualties:
As of 30 September 2009, death toll has reached 246. Five were injured while 42 are still missing.
Deaths due to illnesses are expected to rise over the next weeks.
Damage to Health Facilities:
In Marikina City, all barangays visited reported involvement of their health centers in the flooding resulting in damage to medicines, equipment, and records in the first and second floor of the health centers. 11 out of 16 BHSs are non-functional. Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center suffered major damage to laboratory equipment, completely disabling its laboratory capabilities. Medical supplies were also damaged, further depleting the already dwindling supply of medicines and amenities. Only OPD and ER services are operational.
In Manila, major damage to 17 of 53 health centers in 6 districts was reported. All office equipment, medical supplies, and records were heavily damaged by the floods, rendering these centers non-operational.
In Malabon City, the health center in Bgy Catmon was completely submerged and all equipment and supplies were damged or destroyed.
Health centers in Taguig and Muntinlupa are also expected to have sustained heavy damage to equipment and supplies since flood waters in these areas were still considerably high on the day of the assessment. In Muntinlupa, the flood waters are expected to recede over a period of 2-3 months.
Response:
The government has appealed for international aid on 28 September 2009. Response by the government has shifted to massive relief operations in affected areas.
A Rapid Needs Assessment Team composed of members from National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), Department of Health (DOH), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and UN IASC country team (OCHA, WHO, WFP, IOM, UNICEF, UNDP) visited the most affected areas in NCR and Region IVA on 28-29 September 2009.
The cluster approach has been initiated to coordinate the humanitarian assistance to affected population. Based on the assessments done in affected areas, cluster lead agencies will develop and launch a flash appeal for the coordination of humanitarian response to the most urgent needs of the affected communities in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. This flash appeal will be launched today.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by the DOH, WHO and health cluster members to enhance coordination, cooperation, and commitment of and among members of the health cluster.
- DoH - ? measles vaccination, ? vitamin A supplementation (not seen by assessment team)
- Local NGOs are doing outreach activity to some evacuation centers and affected communities (not systematic, and varied)
- Observed relief goods being distributed (bottled water, rice, canned food) in few EC (1 LGU) by LGU
- Formula Milk in one city - stored for distribution - indiscriminate distribution
DOH Response:
Representatives from the DOH participated in the rapid needs assessment done over the last 2 days.
DOH-HEMS continues to coordinate with other government agencies, NGOs and international partners for immediate response activities. Appeals have been sent to other agencies to request assistance in procuring essential health supplies and equipment.
WHO Response:
WHO joined other UN agencies and government agencies in the rapid needs assessment. WHO will continue to work through the existing UN coordination mechanism as well as with the DOH and other partners to ensure an appropriate and effective response to the calamity.
Sources
Situation Reports
National Disaster Coordinating Council
www.ndcc.gov.ph
Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS)
Department of Health
San Lazaro Compound, Sta Cruz., Manila
http://www.doh.gov.ph/hems
Rapid Needs Assessment, 28-29 September 2009
For further information please contact:
Country Office
Dr Gerardo Medina
Tel: (632) 338 7479
Fax:(632) 731 3914
Email: medinag@wpro.who.int
WHO Regional Office
Dr Arturo Pesigan
Tel: (632) 528 9810
Fax: (632) 528 9072
Email: pesigana@wpro.who.int