DOH: They need tetanus shots, vitamins, breast milk

Anti-pneumonia and tetanus shots for adults, vitamins for kids, iron supplements for pregnant women and a milk bank for infants are among the services that will be provided by the Department of Health (DOH) at its field clinic for typhoon victims who are staying temporarily at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“All residents of Tacloban City coming to Metro Manila will be taken there directly for immediate medical assessment. A separate clinic especially for pregnant and nursing mothers will also be created, including a temporary milk bank to cater to the needs of infants and also to collect human milk from those who want to donate their excess breast milk,” DOH National Capital Region Director Eduardo Janairo said in a statement on Thursday.

Ambulance on standby

“For those needing referrals and higher emergency level of treatment, an ambulance will be ready to transport them to a bigger hospital for proper management and medication. We will be processing medical checkups for at least 1,000 patients a day. This will be open 24/7 and will remain in service as long as there are evacuees arriving in Manila from affected areas in the Visayas,” he added.

Among the other health services that will be provided are pneumococcal vaccines for those 45 years old and above, antimeasles and oral polio vaccines for children, tetanus toxoid shot and iron supplements for pregnant women, vitamin A capsules for children aged 1 to 5 years old, and breast milk for infants.

Evacuees will also have access to dental services and psychological first aid activity, and stress debriefing from trained health professionals from the National Center for Mental Health, DOH-NCR, local government units and volunteer groups.