As typhoon Hagupit rages along the coasts of the Philippines, Doctors of the World’s emergency teams are keeping a very close eye on developments.Barely a year after typhoon Haiyan left 7000 people dead, the Philippines is now in the grips of “super” typhoon Hagupit. Fierce 180 mph winds and torrential rain are currently sweeping across the island of Leyte and Eastern Samar province. In Manilla, Doctors of the World’s teams are standing by to take rapid action wherever they might be needed.
Doctors of the World have been working in the Philippines since 2012, running a programme on health and environmental harm reduction in the recycling of electronic waste. In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan and in direct response to the priorities established by the government and the Ministry of Health, Doctors of the World ran an emergency response project from November 2013 to February 2014 on the island of Leyte. The aim was to help restore access to primary health care for the local communities and displaced persons.
At the time, the number of displaced persons was estimated at 3.4 million and the number of evacuees at 240, 800. The country’s whole health system had suffered extensive damage and shortages in essential medicines and medical equipment.
