Red Cross field hospital opens and treats first patient

Topics: National, Emergencies and Disasters Worldwide
November 21, 2013

The Red Cross health emergency response unit in Ormoc, on the island of Leyte, opened its doors Thursday morning, 48 hours after beginning construction. Three-month-old Raymart Recart was immediately transferred from the lobby of the Ormoc District Hospital, becoming the newly erected field hospital's first patient.

For parents Mary Anne and Richard, and sister Risa, 4, admitting Raymart to the field hospital's pediatric ward meant they could leave the district hospital's crowded lobby. The lobby and hallways of the hospital, which the Red Cross health emergency response unit was deployed to support, have served as the only treatment rooms for admitted patients since Typhoon Haiyan left it without a roof and severely damaged nearly two weeks ago.

Baby Raymart and his family spent three days on metal benches in the hospital lobby while being treated for diarrhea and dehydration, which can quickly become life-threatening for young children. Now, for the first time, Raymart has a bed in a ward, where he was quickly joined by 20 other pediatric patients and their family members.

The Recarts' family home in Ormoc was completely destroyed by the storm. "I know we have lots of work and hard times ahead," said Ms. Recart, "but knowing my children can get good medical care is one less worry.”

The health emergency response unit is a rapid deployment field hospital, which has the capacity to meet the medical needs of a community of 100,000 people. The deployment in support of Ormoc's public hospital is led by the Canadian Red Cross, with humanitarian response personnel and support from the Norwegian and Hong Kong Red Cross Societies.
 

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