Proactive management of natural disasters- Role of Pharmacists ?

[Guest guest]

Dear All,During natural calamities, normally the team of specialised doctors to handle the situation takes some time , so is there any such programme in India to train the Pharmacy Students / retail chemists to provide initial aid in the rescue operations as we have them in a large number in cities even in the villages where we dont have doctors we have pharmacy shops.Community pharmacists are the persons who have the most info about any locality as they are in direct touch with the community through the retail shops and so can be used in a better way for the initial operations. They also have access to the medicines and bandages to help out in the emergency soon.Regards, A.Rehman NagoriM.Pharm (Pharma Chem) ScholarNMIMS Univ, Mumbai Visit Pharma-World WebsiteFrom: Trupti Swain <drtruptiswain@...>netrum Sent:

Saturday, 27 December, 2008 11:31:53 AMSubject: Re: Re: Proactive management of natural disasters- Role of Media

Dear Sir,

I agree with you that there is always a need of good team with managerial skill to tackle the situation. I remember, during Supercyclone in Orissa, tons and tons of food, dress material and medicines were lying in the airport for weeks together at the time when people needed it urgently.

After a temporary shock due to disaster there is traffic jams and communications block. There is difficulty in obtaining a full picture and making decisions, uninvited people streaming to the scene, curious onlookers, media, VIPs try to make maximum out of the situation.

Media plays a vital role in this situation.They are important partners in disater management having most powerful means at their disposal. In seconds they can summarise an emergency and inform every household with a television or radio.But one can influence how they project the emergency to the public. The imagery transmitted by the media evokes enormous response. It focuses world attention and mobilizes the conscience of nations to deliver humanitarian relief.

Thus we should:

Seek them out; without waiting for them to come.

Encourage them to keep you informed of what they see.

Respond where possible,at all times foster goodwill and cooperation

Give them constant updates, informalinterviews ect.

Encourage them to share your vision for long term effective assistance

Use them to help coordinate the emergency.

Tell them what you are doing and why

Don’t be shy to explain the need for funding

However one should be very careful of what you say in the presence of reporters.

One should never make disparaging or critical remarks about local authorities or international organizations

Never criticize your team.

Do not mention weaknesses -which might be all that is reported

Trupti Swain

From: Vijay <drvijaythawani@ .co. in>

Subject: Re: Proactive management of natural disasters

netrumgroups (DOT) com

Date: Saturday, December 27, 2008, 8:31 AM

Hi,

During natural disasters we do get huge rush of relatives, friends,

curious population, media, authorities in the hospital. Infact it is

this congregation which disturbs smooth working and creates more

problems and chaos for those involved in extending health service.

More time is wasted interacting with them.

It is understood that the relatives and friends of injured need to

have timely information. Hence there is strong need of a hospital

PRO to ensure flow of information. Similiarly a PA equipment is also

required outside the casualty for conveying information to the

masses.

For the collected people outside the hospital, arrangement has to be

made (away from the main gate)of a shade/ shelter, drinking water,

parking of vehicles,a canteen, PCO, security, and a speaker

connected to PA system of the hospital.

Media briefing can be done by the PRO at fixed time so that requests

from differnet press and TV channels are not accepted individually.

Among the doctors are persons with multifaceted skills. The head of

the institution has to identify these and accordingly pick and

choose the persons from paraclinical and preclinical departments and

prepare the list in advance, who will be assigned what role. Good

managers are required for :

- Traffic management and keeping the incoming line for ambulances to

reach the casualty

- Parking of visitor vehicles

- Shetler and provision like toilet, PCO, water, canteen etc for the

waiting visiting population

- Additional security for the mass congregation

- Information dissemination to the waiting relatives

- Media relations

- Provision of food packets for staff working beyond the call of duty

- Medicine supply

Vijay

> >

> > Â

> > Dear Friends,

> > Â

> > Injuries and drowning are two commonest health problems

> encountered, immediately after a natural disaster.

> > Â

> > Important considerations for managing injured survivors having

> injuries should be categorized by severity of their injuries and

> treatment, prioritized in terms of available resources and chances

> for survival.

> > Â

> > The underlying principle of treatment is allocation of resources

> in a manner ensuring the greatest health benefit for the greatest

> number.

> > Â

> > Open wounds:should be considered as contaminated and should not

be

> closed.

> > Â

> > ⤢ Debridement of dead tissue is essential.

> > Â

> > Depending on the size of the wound, debridement may necessitate

a

> surgical procedure undertaken in appropriate conditions.

> > Â

> > After debridement:

> > Wounds should be dressed with sterile dressings

> > Patients are scheduled for delayed primary closure.

> > Â

> > ⤢Tetanus Prophylaxis is necessary for patients with open

wounds.

> Active immunization with

> > tetanus toxoid (TT) prevents tetanus.Scheduled as follows:

> > Â

> > 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose at 0, 6 weeks & 6 months.

> > Â

> > Severe injuries - Many injuries ie. spinal cord , complicated

> fractures & crush injury may be severe enough to lead to long term

> functional impairment and disability if not managed correctly.

> > Â

> > Such injuries must be recognized and referred to specialty or

> tertiary hospitals (with proper position and immobilization

> required) that can manage such cases and are appropriately

equipped

> with mobility aids, assistive devices and physiotherapy

> > Â

> > I request esteem members to share their views on injury

management.

> > Â

> > Trupti Swain

> > Â

> > Â

> >

>

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[Guest guest]

Friends,

I agree with Rehman Nagori that community pharmacists can be of great help

during disaster. They usually are the part of community and practise medicine in the abscence of a doctor, in the remote areas.

They have knowledge on the geograpy of the area as a part of the community,have knowledge of medicine and disease to a large extent.

Training in disaster management can make them perfect.

Trupti SwainFrom: Vijay <drvijaythawani@ .co. in>Subject: Re: Proactive management of natural disastersnetrumgroups (DOT) comDate: Saturday, December 27, 2008, 8:31 AMHi,During natural disasters we do get huge rush of relatives, friends, curious population, media, authorities in the hospital. Infact it is this congregation which disturbs smooth working and creates more problems and chaos for those involved in extending health service. More time is wasted interacting with them. It is understood that the relatives and friends of injured need to have timely information. Hence

there is strong need of a hospital PRO to ensure flow of information. Similiarly a PA equipment is also required outside the casualty for conveying information to the masses.For the collected people outside the hospital, arrangement has to be made (away from the main gate)of a shade/ shelter, drinking water, parking of vehicles,a canteen, PCO, security, and a speaker connected to PA system of the hospital.Media briefing can be done by the PRO at fixed time so that requests from differnet press and TV channels are not accepted individually.Among the doctors are persons with multifaceted skills. The head of the institution has to identify these and accordingly pick and choose the persons from paraclinical and preclinical departments and prepare the list in advance, who will be assigned what role. Good managers are required for :- Traffic management and keeping the incoming line for

ambulances to reach the casualty- Parking of visitor vehicles- Shetler and provision like toilet, PCO, water, canteen etc for the waiting visiting population - Additional security for the mass congregation- Information dissemination to the waiting relatives- Media relations- Provision of food packets for staff working beyond the call of duty- Medicine supplyVijay > >> >  > > Dear Friends,> >  > > Injuries and drowning are two commonest health problems > encountered, immediately after a natural disaster. > >  > > Important considerations for managing injured survivors having > injuries should be categorized by severity of their injuries and >

treatment, prioritized in terms of available resources and chances > for survival.> >  > > The underlying principle of treatment is allocation of resources > in a manner ensuring the greatest health benefit for the greatest > number.> >  > > Open wounds:should be considered as contaminated and should not be > closed.> >  > > ⤢ Debridement of dead tissue is essential.> >  > > Depending on the size of the wound, debridement may necessitate a > surgical procedure undertaken in appropriate conditions.> >  > > After debridement:> > Wounds should be dressed with sterile dressings> > Patients are scheduled for delayed primary closure.> >  > > ⤢Tetanus Prophylaxis is necessary for patients with open wounds. > Active

immunization with> > tetanus toxoid (TT) prevents tetanus.Scheduled as follows:> >  > > 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose at 0, 6 weeks & 6 months.> >  > > Severe injuries - Many injuries ie. spinal cord , complicated > fractures & crush injury may be severe enough to lead to long term > functional impairment and disability if not managed correctly.> >  > > Such injuries must be recognized and referred to specialty or > tertiary hospitals (with proper position and immobilization > required) that can manage such cases and are appropriately equipped > with mobility aids, assistive devices and physiotherapy> >  > > I request esteem members to share their views on injury management.> >  > > Trupti Swain> >  > >  >

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