Who we are
|
 |
| | Home | | How to Help | | Events | | Resource Links | | Contact Us |
News from Burma May 26, 2008 Hi all, Reporting on our overnight trip to Dedaye. Left May 24 later in the day as we did not want to be harassed due to the referendum. 2 docs, 6 other volunteers in the team. Main road was mostly empty. Saw pockets of groups of people walking away from the main road with plastic bags in their hands. Taxi driver explained that they were returning home after the day's collecting handouts from donor trucks and buses. No glitch getting into Dedaye. Just stopped once but no searching. Hosts were so kind and generous to have offered free lodging and meals including the picnic lunch sent with us in a big tiffin carrier for the boat trip the following day. Quickly put together an assessment questionnaire by crash learning from material MC sent for ER (early recovery) plans. We met with the local Sun clinic GP. Said one PSI mobile team had been there, stayed for a few days and went on several trips. No other big NGO's came. Early morning start the next day by boat to the village. Almost a 3 hour boat ride. Saw dead animals and one dead body. Delta is very poor at baseline. Straight to the monastery after arriving at the village, met with the monk who's not the head-monk but came back from Yangon to help his hometown/village. We're all on the same page as far as need for early recovery. The assessment: 371 household, about 1200 population, about 8% deaths, mainly farm workers who live out in the paddy fields. 60% of the population is farm workers (le-coolie). Strictly Burmese Buddhist farming community, no other means of living. Severe property damage is mainly in terms of loss of cattle, farm equipment and stored rice. Some shelter damage. Most victims are staying with families in the village. Their main request/needs among many others is to be able to go back and work on the farms asap. They need farming equipment, seeds and the embankments rebuilt. Rice from storage that they managed to salvage would last about a month. The monk got diesel from a donor so he's having the salt water from the pond pumped out. With the rains drinking water shouldn't be so much of a problem. Recently built middle school was completely destroyed after 4 hard years of fundraising and building. We can find ways to provide all of the above including cash for work program for the villagers to just clear not even rebuilding the 100 year-old monastery. Left 2 lakhs there as seed money for that or whatever the monk deems more necessary. The monk agreed on our plan to give out a loan of some sort. Saw 138 patients. Diseases in descending order of frequency: PTSD, general aches and pains and non-specific complaints, hypertension, GE's, URI's, malnutrition and minor trauma, nail stabs. Organized the day before to donate 50 bags of rice and 400 pots and pans by us together with clothing, ngapi and other food and non-foodstuff arrived later with another group that brought 3 more docs, phew. Managed to leave the village after 4 pm, more boat ride and then caught a ride with the supplies group back to Yangon. Sad scenario on the main road even though it was well after the sun had set. Many ppl by the main road waiting for handouts. Huge lorries and buses throwing stuff onto the roadside and ppl shoving each other to grab them. All the way past KunChan Gone almost close to Yangon was the same scene. Rumor has it that most beggars from Yangon have moved out there. Back at about 10 pm. Had a meeting with MC, the team and another woman who knows public
health work this morning. Talked about above. Learned a lot from
them and will make an organized plan. Called the host first thing
in the morning to touch base and to let them know that we'll be
back soon. One additional idea to the rehabilitation efforts is to have a permanent BBHC clinic in this village but will need good and likeminded people. The dynamic between the doctors and the other healthcare staff is complicated to say the least. We will need strong and persuasive doctors to handle these tasks. The South and North Dagon work is ongoing still. We are covering eight sites, working seven days a week. KP, don't worry. We will have material support from a group. Until then we can provide some cash to your GP team going to Myaung Mya. I called your contacts. It's not easy to go there as a medical team. Still I told him to put my name, as well as some others', that MMS will try and get while I was gone to Dedaye, on the list to be sent to Nay Pyi Taw. Will see what happens. Burmarelief.org group is doing a fantastic job. Hope they'll keep the momentum. I'm happy to know they're also interested in the ER efforts in other parts of Dedaye. Will write again soon. Best, Jalin
|