(30/11/2012)
 The
Ministry of Public Health has a policy to develop two types of medical
teams in emergency situations to provide prompt assistance to people
affected by natural disasters.Deputy Public Health Minister Chonlanan Srikaew said that the first type, “Medical Emergency Response Team” (MERT), is at the international level. Another type, “Disaster Medical Assistant Team” (DMAT), is at the district level. According to Mr. Chonlanan, the Medical Emergency Response Team is a large operation task force, comprising medical experts, nurses, and public health staff, equipped with medical accessories and supplies. It is ready to launch operations within 6 to 12 hours when requested or instructed. There are currently 13 teams of this type. The Ministry of Public Health will increase the number to 40 in the 2013 fiscal year, so that they will be able to work in all provinces. Among them, four teams will be sent to help other ASEAN countries. The Disaster Medical Assistant Team is a small operation task force, with four or five doctors and staff. There are currently 300 teams of this type, covering 40 percent of all community hospitals nationwide. The two types of mobile teams are responsible for providing medical treatment, controlling epidemiological diseases, and taking care of mental health in order to reduce losses. They will help disaster victims, without depending on assistance from local health offices. These teams will be equipped with necessary devices, such as medical tents, electricity generators, and buckets. They will move quickly to disaster areas in response to the needs of victims. Mr. Chonlanan said that Thailand faced about 30,000 natural and man-made disasters during the past 10 years. The disasters, both large- and small-scale, include floods, fires, tsunamis from earthquakes, and toxic chemicals and dangerous substances. During the period, 16,000 people were injured and about 10,000 persons died in the disasters, with a financial loss of more than 46 billion baht. He said that natural disaster incidents are likely to increase because of climate change and environmental deterioration. If no preparations are made to cope with the changing situation, the country will suffer huge damage, including injuries, death, and psychological impacts. In 2011, Thailand suffered its worst floods in more than half a century. The floods affected more than 13 million people from July to December 2011. |
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