Doctors Without Borders

Published purpose

November 19, 2013 – On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines, killing a reported 3,976 people and affecting 12.9 million people in 41 provinces. Some four million people have been reported as displaced from their homes and are seeking shelter in evacuation centres or with host families. This number is expected to rise. The typhoon caused extensive damage to infrastructure in the hardest-hit areas, making it very challenging to access affected people with emergency assistance. The latest reports indicate that the typhoon destroyed more than one million homes and that electricity and water systems are not functioning in many affected areas. The Government of the Philippines has identified the most significant needs as safe drinking water, shelter, food, medical assistance, and support to ensure adequate hygiene and sanitation. With DFATD’s support, Médecins Sans Frontières Canada is providing emergency health care to 200,000 typhoon-affected people in Tacloban City, Northern Cebu, and eastern Samar. Project activities include: (i) establishing one fully-equipped and staffed field hospital with an operating room able to handle trauma, acute and obstetric operations, a recovery room, an emergency room, a consultation room and an inpatient department; (ii) establishing four outpatient units able to stabilize and refer people to other services, treat minor injuries, manage disease, undertake disease surveillance and provide psycho-social support; (iii) distributing 1,500 temporary shelters; and (iv) distributing essential household items, including 23,000 blankets, 3,000 hygiene kits including items such as soap and toothbrushes, cooking sets, and 6,000 jerry cans to safely transport water.