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National Medical Associations quick to join global relief effort
National Medical Associations around the world have been quick
to assist the global relief effort in the areas worst hit by the
south east Asian tsunami.
Information so far indicates that many associations are actively
helping theaid effort, among them:
- the Finnish Medical Association made an immediate donation to
the Red Cross and is now seeking donations from individual physicians;
- the Czech Medical Association also raised funds for aid and
is in cooperation with national and international relief organizations;
- the Korean Medical Association has set up a medical team
which is being sent to Jakarta and Sri Lanka;
- the German Medical Association joined the national German
appeal and the State Chamber of Lower Saxony decided to call
off its New Year's reception and instead donate the money to
the relief effort;
- the Hong Kong Medical Association has formed an emergency
task force and is helping the six major relief organisations
in Hong Kong to raise funds and organising a series of charity
events;
- the Austrian Medical Chamber has installed a coordination
hotline where the names of physicians of all specialities with
diplomas in emergency medicine can be posted on a website for
assistance to the Red Cross. In addition to helping reconstruct
basic medical care, they will be available to take care of the
Austrian victims. The Austrian State Medical Chambers have organised
a fund raising campaign among Austrian doctors;
- the Norwegian Medical Association has given money to both
the Red Cross and to Medicines Sans Frontieres. It has been
co-operating with the Norwegian health authorities helping to
arrange medical teams at the airport to give medical service
to people coming home from areas which were hit by the tsunami.
It has informed public health advisors in all the 435 districts
to plan receiving people with both psychological and physical
traumas. It has also called for physicians to volunteer to provide
medical services in the affected areas. So far 30 physicians
have come forward to help the Red Cross and Medicines Sans Frontieres;
- the Australian Medical Association has been involved in fund
raising and in helping with a surge of medical personnel wanting
to help in the crisis. A hotline for professionals has been
set up by the government and around 2000 doctors have placed
their names on the emergency list;
Dr Otmar Kloiber, Secretary General designate of the World Medical
Association, said:
'The WMA's immediate plea last week in the first 48 hours after
the disaster was to call for physicians to help in the relief
effort. Now my plea to physicians and national medical associations
is for money. At the moment the provision of clean water and sanitation
and the establishment of sufficient transport capacities are the
highest priorities.
'What the relief organizations need right now is money, money,
money. They are moving their physicians who are properly trained
and prepared (e.g. properly immunized) for such a task into the
areas. Right now they can use only these physicians.'
Dr Yank Coble, president of the WMA, who has been in contact
with the World Health Organisation, added: 'It may be that with
the escalation of medical problems in the area more medical personal
will be needed. But as of today what is needed is money to buy
badly needed resources, such as drugs and materials.'
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