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Many geographical areas are subject to devastating disasters that leave the citizens not only without homes, but also without their local medical systems. Now medical-aid stations consisting of personnel, supplies, and equipment quickly can be deployed when needed to such areas under the aegis of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). Such teams can provide emergent medical care as well as daily medical care. However, these aid stations are of no help for the home–bound or nursing home patients too infirm to reach them. Thus, these citizens only can obtain medical care if medical teams make planned outreach excursions to reach them.
Objective:
To describe a planned outreach program that was implemented for such patients on St. Thomas Island after it was devastated by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995.
Results:
Over a five-day period, the out-reach team provided medical care for 67 patients ranging in age from 11 days to 90 years. Play and art therapy was provided for non-injured children. The most common needs in the elderly were anti-hypertensive medications and insulin-loaded syringes.
Conclusion:
For outreach efforts of this nature, membership of the team should include a registered nurse, a paramedic, a respiratory therapist, a public health specialist, and a local authority familiar both with the area and its inhabitants. A physician does not need to be assigned to the team, but should be available by radio.
When the infrastructure in a community is destroyed by manmade or natural disaster, even the simplest health services may be difficult to maintain. By the Alma Ata declaration, the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed, “Health for all by the year 2000.” The program is designed to cover the basic health needs as defined by the Primary Health Care (PHC) system. Therefore, a most important issue in a disaster, is to support, maintain, and rebuild the PHC system, to secure the population's basic health services.
Relevant and rapid aid is of great importance in disaster. The physical and psychological strain caused by disaster will increase the need for medical care compared to that during normal times. Child mortality and maternal complications will rise, Many of the 12 million children, who die every year, die as a result of war, refugee conditions, and/or other types of disaster.
The NorAid system is equipment composed to provide PHC, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups e.g., women and children. Provided the medical skills are available, it also may function as a hospital. The system already has been used in many countries, and has been found to be relevant, practical, and relatively cheap compared to the benefits achieved.