CEBU CITY -- At least 52 public health facilities were damaged in northern Cebu by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), according to the Department of Health (DOH).
The agency estimated the cost of damage to the health facilities at P26.08 million. In the island of Bantayan alone, the cost of damage was estimated at P10.7 million.
DOH-Central Visayas Regional Assistant Director Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi said that international humanitarian groups are helping repair the damaged facilities and set up makeshift health centers in Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remegio, Bogo, Tabogon, Borbon and Camotes Island.
“It’s a bit hot in these makeshift centers, but at least they function,” Legaspi said in a press conference organized on Monday by the Philippine Information Agency in Lapu-Lapu City.
The deadly typhoon, which struck last November 8, damaged two hospitals, 14 rural health units and 36 barangay health stations in northern Cebu. It destroyed two rural health units and six barangay health stations.
Nationwide, about P1.18 billion worth of health facilities collapsed under Yolanda’s winds, the national disaster council reported. As of Monday, December 9, the total damage to infrastructure and agriculture stood at P35.52 billion.
The death toll has reached 5,924, with 27,022 hurt and 1,779 missing. More than 103,000 persons continue to live in evacuation centers; they’re among the 3.98 million persons displaced by the typhoon nationwide.
Despite the influx of sick typhoon survivors from the north, Legaspi said public hospitals in Metro Cebu continue to accept patients from Eastern Visayas.
The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center has catered to 294 patients from Leyte, most of whom suffered from fractures and wounds.
Other hospitals that have treated typhoon survivors are the Eversley Childs Sanitarium in Mandaue City, Talisay District Hospital and St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Cebu City.
Legaspi said the most common disease among typhoon survivors are acute respiratory infections. Hypertension, skin diseases and diarrhea are also common, “but these are already under control,” she said.
Legaspi said DOH personnel and local sanitary inspectors have been checking water sources and distributing water disinfectants to prevent water-borne diseases like diarrhea.
DOH personnel have been going to hospitals and transient centers to administer vaccines among young typhoon survivors.
As of December 7, 16,727 children have received anti-measles vaccines and 17,748 have received oral polio vaccine.
For now, the supply of medicines is not a concern for the DOH.
“We have enough supply of medicines, aside from the augmentation we received from our partners,” Legaspi said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will continue to use its helicopters to bring relief goods and humanitarian workers to typhoon-ravaged areas.
Eight persons were injured after a PAF UH-1H Huey helicopter crashed in La Paz, Leyte last Friday afternoon.
The chopper’s two pilots were injured along with two PAF crew members and four workers of the Department of Social and Welfare Development.
Second Air Division Commander Gen. Romeo Poquiz said the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Poquiz assured PAF’s choppers are safe and their pilots well-trained.
He said the air forces of Japan, Italy and Australia are still in the country to assist relief operations and rehabilitation efforts in storm-ravaged areas. (Sun.Star Cebu)