Typhoon Haiyan: Malteser International increases relief for the Philippines
Food, household and hygiene kits for 20,000 people
Editha’s house and all her belongings have been washed away from the typhoon. With the household kit she received, she now has the essentials for survival once again. Photo: Kenly Monteagudo
With the first distributions of relief goods on the Philippine islands of Bantayan and Samar completed, Malteser International will send an additional 4,500 kits to the regions affected by Typhoon Haiyan, increasing the reach of its relief activities to nearly 20,000 people. The packages containing food, household and hygiene items will benefit an additional 1,500 families in two villages on Bantayan Island. In addition, 800 tarpaulin sets for temporary shelters will be distributed to the residents of two coastal villages near Tacloban City on Samar Island.
Malteser International has also facilitated emergency medical missions to the villages of San Antonio and Amandayehan. 570 patients were treated, mostly for wounds left unattended since the disaster. “While health services were reinstated fairly quickly in urban areas following the typhoon, poor rural communities in areas of difficult access have not received the medical attention they require,” tells Dr. Mel Capistrano, Malteser International emergency relief expert. “Community health infrastructures such as village health stations and rural health clinics were totally destroyed. Likewise, health care staff who would usually work in these areas were personally affected and are difficult to mobilize.” Malteser International is providing the villages on Samar and Bantayan with 10 large tents for emergency medical treatment and child-friendly spaces.
Janise said that the hygiene articles she received from Malteser International are especially helpful for her children. Photo: Kenly Monteagudo
Beyond the emergency relief, Malteser International will focus on recovery efforts in the areas of health, sanitation, reconstruction and psychosocial care. For Samar Island, an additional focus will be placed on schools and restoring the residents’ livelihood through seed distribution.
You can donate towards the relief efforts by using the Paypal donation button below:
