2011-10-30
AMDA Doctors Treating the Injured in Ercis, Turkey2

AMDA Emergency Medical Team which left Okayama, Japan, on the 24th, is now actively engaged in relief efforts at �ª¨�ª­Sahara Hospital�ª¨�ª±, Erzis, Van, in the eastern Turkey. AMDA team arrived Van Airport on the 25th. After thorough assessment with the staff of Kimse Yok Mu, a Turkish NGO, they have decided to move to Ercis, the city worst hit by the 7.2 earthquake of Oct. 23.

Rescue efforts still continue in some areas of Ercis and the wounded are being transported to a make-shift hospital, commonly called as �ª¨�ª­Sahara Hospital�ª¨�ª±. It is a hub hospital where all injured in the area are brought in. Those with serious conditions are transferred to hospitals in Van from here.

AMDA's doctors, one being a thoracic surgeon and the other a neurology specialist, have been actively performing medical services for the injured since the 25th. AMDA's coordinator, sent by the Turkey Japan Cultural Dialog Society, is acting as an interpreter for the team.

According to the thoracic surgeon, there are quite a number of chest trauma cases As there are only 3 thoracic specialists in the entire hospital, he is working on shift with the local doctors performing operations and attending to critical patients. On the 26th, he treated 15 to 20 patients with the local staff. Though the number of serious cases is declining, there are still many trauma patients needing saturation. On the 27th, the weather has changed from rain to snow. Scrambles for tents have already started among the people. Chronic illness and infections are expected to increase.

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