Red Cross attends to thousands of patients during Papal Visit Philippine Red Cross’ (PRC) personnel and volunteers defied all odds including tight security, closed roads, signal interruption from telecommunications, cold weather, and heavy rains to attend to everyone who needed emergency health, medical, and welfare response during the five-day visit of His Holiness Pope Francis in the country from January 15-19, 2015. According to report from PRC’s Operations Center, as of 2 p.m. of January 19, a total of 3,306 people were responded to by trained personnel and volunteers during the Pope’s visit, both in Manila and Tacloban. Red Cross rendered services that ranged from blood pressure checking, both minor and major medical emergencies, patient transport to hospitals, and welfare support. Minor cases reported include dizziness, hyperventilation, nose bleeding, abrasions, burns, fever, wound, body pain, and sore throat. Those who were transported to nearby hospitals and Emergency Field Hospitals (EFHs) complained of difficulty of breathing, asthma attack, body stiffness, vomiting, and injuries resulting from fall from high structures. Major emergency cases ranged from difficulty of breathing, hypotension, hypertension, chest pain, possible fracture, asthma, hypothermia, burn, heart attack, and epilepsy attack. Aside from people needing emergency health and medical care, PRC assisted a total of 499 people who needed welfare help that ranged from stress debriefing, guidance and counseling, contact of relatives of missing persons, and referral. In and around the area of Quirino Grandstand alone, where the Pope held mass last January 18, PRC Operations Center recorded a total of 2,018 people who were attended to by Red Cross staff and volunteers. An estimated six million people were reported to have participated in the said event. Of the 2,018 people who were taken in various health and first aid stations, as well as emergency field hospitals in and around the Quirino Grandstand, 753 patients had their blood pressure checked, 580 had minor emergency cases, 169 were seen for major medical emergencies, 36 were transported by ambulances to nearby hospitals, and 480 people needed welfare support. At the EFH in CCP, a mentally ill patient was transported at a mental institution in New Manila, Quezon City. Another patient was revived at another EFH after reportedly losing consciousness and losing signs of heartbeat. PRC Chairman Richard Gordon has nothing but praises for everyone who made the Red Cross Papal Visit operation a success. “Congratulations to our hardworking and selfless volunteers for a job well done! The coordination between the Philippine Red Cross, the police force, and other groups is also commendable. I am so proud to work with all of you,” he said. Chairman Gordon also expressed his gratitude to the selfless volunteers who dedicated their time and rendered service during the Papal Visit. “Thank you to our dedicated and reliable volunteers. These people are not paid, yet they have given so much of their time and made tremendous sacrifices for suffering humanity,” he said. Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang also expressed her gratefulness to Red Cross staff and volunteers. “I want to thank all the Red Cross volunteers and staff who dedicated their time and effort throughout the Papal Visit. You have shown great love for humanity and our beloved Pope with your sacrifice and hard work. May the spirit of volunteerism continue to flow within us in the coming weeks and months,” she said. Both Chairman Gordon and Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang were on hand to assist patients and the Red Cross team during the Papal mass at the Quirino Grandstand. PRC operations during the entire Papal Visit would not have been possible without the participation of the following Red Cross chapters which mobilized their volunteers and dedicated their time for the Papal Visit: Quezon City, Pasay, Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Rizal, Las Pinas, Malabon, Marikina, Olongapo, Bulacan, Tarlac, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna. For the entire Papal Visit, the PRC has put up 6 Emergency Field Hospitals, first aid stations in various strategic locations, and deployed 40 ambulances, 8 Humvees, 3 ten-wheeler trucks, 2 water tankers, 2 fire trucks, 4 plastic boats, radios, and satellite phones. EFHs attend to patients who have been transported from first aid stations and are prepared to attend to the management of patients in case of a mass casualty incident. A team of volunteer doctors and nurses attend to and monitor all patients from first aid stations, stabilize patients for intubation, trauma, initial management of fracture, suturing, administering of IV fluids and medicines, and referral of patients to higher level of care. First Aid Stations, on the other hand, handle patient assessments on vital signs, treatment of minor and major cases, and referral to ambulance for transport of patients to emergency field hospitals or partner hospitals. First aid stations come with a welfare desk that provides assistance on tracing and restoring family links, and psycho-social support. Both first aid stations and EFHs come equipped with a drinking station to provide safe, clean drinking water. Photo credits: Dwight Henry Bayona (Photos 1-3), Jeremiah Amos Peña (Photo 4), Star Sabroso (Photo 5 & 6) and Kay Arias (Photo 7 & 8). They volunteered as photographers for the Red Cross activities for the Papal Mass in Luneta.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:57:25 +0000
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