DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                 2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                               Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-966-05                                                                                                                                                                             31  January 2005

PHILIPINE MEDICAL TEAM TO SRI LANKA REPORTS ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS

31 January 2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which has diplomatic and consular jurisdiction over Sri Lanka, recently reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs the accomplishments of the Medical Team sent to that country by the Philippines.

Ambassador Lino B. Guerrero said that the 12-member Philippine medical team was deployed in Balapitiya in the Galle District of Sri Lanka, which has a population of 65,000 people. Of these, 150 were reported killed and 15,000 displaced by the tsunami, which hit the island along with other countries in South and South East Asia.

The Philippine Medical Team was stationed in Balapitiya from 7 to 19 January 2005, and served in 17 evacuation camps.

The Team reported that it received 1,674 medical consultations during their stay. The team was consulted for upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, hypertension, osteoathritis, musco-skeletal pain and wound infections.

The team served in Pana Dura and Payagala from 20 to 21 January. There, they conducted 397 medical consultations.  They also engaged in psychological counseling for 154 tsunami victims.

The team also conducted waste sanitation and disposal management activities, consisting of on-site inspection of water supply and waste disposal facilities, mosquito control and hygiene education.

Prior to the completion of their mission, the team paid a courtesy call on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse who received them on 23 January 2005 (See SFA-AGR-948-05). The Sri Lankan Prime Minister had expressed his sincere gratitude to the Philippine Government and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for sending the humanitarian mission.

The members of the Philippine medical team, composed of five doctors, five nurses and two sanitary engineers are: Dr. Romeo Almazan Bituin, Dr. Joseph Espinosa, Dra. Vilma dela Cruz, Dr. Luis Juan Arroyo, Dr. Mike Láo, Engr. Rodel Pineda, Engr. Joselito Riego de Dios, Ms. Aida Cuadra, Ms. Maria Ivy Ocampo, Mr. Oliver Maat, Ms. Ruth Badic, and Ms. Venus Cariño.

The team returned to the country on 25 January 2005. END
 
 

/jay