The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) installed several medical tents in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato to address the health problems caused by the closing of several hospitals in Mindanao that were damaged by series of earthquakes last month.

Senator Richard Gordon, Chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross said that basic health care remains a top priority of the PRC.

“We have to extend medical assistance to affected individuals and avoid possible outbreak of diseases since a number of hospitals are having difficulties in addressing the needs of their patients such as, limited number of rooms while others aren’t safe yet due to cracks as a result of powerful tremors,” Gordon added.

The PRC Health Services (HS) and Emergency Medical Unit (EMU) set-up 2 sets of 6×6 meter tents, 1 set of 6 by 9 meters tent, 20 cot beds and a generator in Kidapawan City Hospital.

These three air-conditioned medical tents are functional with improved roofing and one additional gazebo tent for duty volunteers, a ward, Out Patient Area and area for Delivery Room headed by PRC North Cotabato-Kidapawan City Chapter.

“We are very thankful for these tents na binigay ng Philippine Red Cross and PRC Chairman Richard Gordon, these will really help a lot of patients in providing protection from the weather. We didn’t expect na may mga bed pa nakasama. We are overwhelmed by the support of PRC,” Chief of Hospital, Dr. Hamir Hechanova of Kidapawan City Hospital, said.

As of November 19, the medical tents already catered 42 patients, 23 are currently admitted and 8 were discharged.

The PRC also mobilized a humanitarian caravan to further assist the affected communities in Barangay New Opon, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur. These humanitarian trucks are loaded with food and non-food items, water tankers and mobile kitchen.

These accomplishments could not have been possible without the support of PRC’s operation partners and donors– the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Embassy of Republic of Korea, San Miguel Food Corporation, Nickel Asia Corporation, Filminera Resources Corporation, Cabinet Secretary KarloNograles, Thome Ship Management (TSM) Group and Ramon Tulfo Good Samaritan Foundation Incorporated.

Since October 16, PRC has mobilized 569 volunteers, staff and Red Cross Youth, providing first aid to 84 individuals in 12 First Aid stations in Kidapawan City, Davao del Sur and General Santos City, distributing food items to 1,630 families in Davao Del Sur and North Cotabato.

Eighteen temporary shower facilities were installed in the Municipality of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur as part of PRC’s commitment to promote hygiene and sanitation whenever a calamity or disaster hits.

A total of 1,46,928 liters of water were distributed by PRC – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH) to 5,690 families or 22,097 individuals in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. The WASH unit also conducted hygiene promotion to 6,576 individuals, installed 40 portable toilets, and established 19 water collecting points also in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.

The Philippine Red Cross distributed hot meals to 11,504 families in North Cotabato (8,766) and Davao Del Sur (2,738), administered psychosocial support to 3,921 individuals including child friendly spaces to 1,630 individuals in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Davao Del Sur, General Santos and Sultan Kudarat.

PRC also deployed 20 water bladders from General Santos-Saranggani, Davao City, Leyte, Cebu, Agusan del Sur; 5 water tankers and 3 water treatment units to North Cotabato and Davao del Sur; 8ambulances from National Headquarters, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Davao del Sur and Zamboanga Del Norte chapters and 2 additional mobile kitchens from Bacolod and Iloilo.

PRC uses resources provided by generous donors for these activities. The public can help PRC replenish these resources by donating through the following avenues:

BDO

Peso Savings: 00-453-0190938

Dollar Savings: 10-453-0039482

Swift Code: BNORPHMM

BPI

Peso Savings: 4991-0036-52

Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Metrobank

Peso Savings: 151-7-151524342

Dollar Savings: 151-2-151002182

Swift Code: MBTCPHMM

Paypal

donate@redcross.org.ph