Disaster Response
SOS Doctors – Feast of St. Camillus
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Earthquake Update – Abruzzo – Research – Rainbow Study
A significant part of the CTF-SOS DRS response to the April 2009 earthquake in Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy was a research project spearheaded by the CTF, Bambin Gesu Hospital and EMR. The research results were presented publicly for the first time at an international conference in May 2010 in Rome.
Recently, the primary researcher – Dr. Stefano Vicari – received the following good news from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Dear Stefano Vicari,
I am delighted to inform you that your submission entitled, Child Psychopathology and Natural Disasters: The Italian Experience After L’aquila Earthquake, has been accepted for inclusion as a New Research Poster presentation at the AACAP/CACAP Joint Annual Meeting in Toronto, ON, Canada, October 18-23, 2011.
The research done was an attempt on the part of the CTF and its collaborators to shed some light on the trauma experienced by children/adolescents as a result of natural disasters. The issue of the incidence of PTSD and other mental disorders in children in the wake of disasters is one that merits further study. CTF-SOS DRS hopes to be a continued part of that research.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Floods in Thailand – 2011 – Update 2
Ciao -
Yesterday, I joined the Caritas Thailand of course with Fr. Rocco in their relief efforts at the north central of Thailand (Utai Thani) wherein 8 villages were submerged with water of about 5-6 meters deep for a month already. Right now casualties rises to 300 people.
The nunciature has released 50,000euro for the flood victims. We are planning to travel again to the north maybe 2 days from now. I told also Rocco to prepare a medical mission plan which they targeted to be done towards the end of this month. Marissa our collaborator is already drafting the plan and we’ll look into it. Most probably we could launch an appeal to our confreres (tentative). We are still assessing the situation. I will still stay here until Friday.
Fr. Aris
Pakistan Floods – The Relief Effort Continues
The Church in one of the country’s largest Catholic villages has established a water filtration facility to curb water-bourne disease.
Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad presided over the blessing of the St. Camillus Clean Drinking Water Center in Khushpur, home to seven thousand Catholics, in Punjab province.
Camillian Brother Mushtaq Anjum joined two priests, nuns and villagers at the inauguration of the facility on October 2 in the compound of St Fidelis Church. [see photo]
Bishop Coutts thanked the congregation for the invaluable resource center.
“It is an expensive piece of machinery, and now it is your responsibility to take care of it,” he told the villagers.
The filtration plant cost 2.2 million rupees (more than US$25,000). The Camaillians will oversee changing water filters for the first year, after which the community is to manage the plant itself.
The project is an extension of the Camillians’ relief efforts after heavy flooding ravaged the country last year.
The congregation constructed 53 houses, organized 13 medical camps (in which 2,200 patients were treated) and provided warm clothes and bedding to 300 flood victims last winters in three dioceses.
Brother Anjum who represents the Camillian Task Force, an international relief effort of the Order of Saint Camillus, said he is hopeful the clean water center would help improve health conditions in the flood-affected village.
About 200 mud houses were destroyed and hundreds of acres of standing crops were damaged in the Khushpur by heavy rains this year.
“The sewerage pipes were damaged in floods and the contaminated drinking water was increasing hepatitis and stomach disorders,” Br Anjum said.
Dominican Sister Parveen Lazarus of St Catherine of Siena said the power crisis in the country would present a challenge in running the plant.
“The community elders are planning to make a schedule for collecting water when electricity is available. Still, it will aid villagers who used to get drinking water from the suburbs,” she said.
Related reports:
Horn of Africa – Famine – Update 1
THE MISSION HAS JUST BEGUN – Horn of Africa
NAIROBI – Three members of the Assessment Team (ATeam), Bro. Joseph Niri, MI, Sr. Bernadette, CS and Ms. Anita Ennis (LCF) arrived in Nairobi last August 17. They were welcomed by Fr. James Wanjau, MI and Sr. Catherine, CS. They were sent by the CTF Central to conduct assessment of needs of the Somalian refugees in the Diocese of Garissa, where the biggest refugee camps are situated in the town of Dadaab. August 20, they arrived at Garissa together with Sr. Catherine. They were hosted by Fr. Clement, a clergy member of the diocese who happens to be the brother of Bro. Joseph.
After an initial briefing and meeting with some personalities in charge of the diocesan program, the team proceeded immediately to Dadaab, a place which hosted four (4) big refugee camps: Ifo, Dagahaley, Hagadeiro and Kambios. These camps were under the coordination of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and with the collaboration of the big international organizations such as Norwegian Refugee Council, Medecins Sans Frontier (MSF), etc. All those camps were visited by the ATeam.
by Anita Ennis, LCF.
Horn of Africa – Drought/Famine 1 – Please Help!
The famine in the Horn of Africa has affected more than 11.6 million people according to the UN. It is estimated that 1.26 million children in the south of Somalia need immediate care and that 640,000 are gravely malnourished.
The Pope launched an urgent appeal to all people of good will. “Think about all our brothers and sisters who in these days, in the Horn of Africa, are suffering the dramatic consequences of famine that has been aggravated by war and a lack of solid institutions. Christ is concerned with material needs but wants to provide more because man is always hungry for something more: he has need of something greater.”
The Camillians, through the Camillian Task Force, responding to the urgent appeal of the Pope, have decided to send in the next few days a first response team composed of healthcare personnel, in particular a Camillian from the Kenyan Delegation of the Order, a volunteer from the Lay Camillian Family, and a sister from the Ministers of the Sick. The task of this team is to evaluate the needs of the affected population in view of a targeted and significant intervention and to coordinate the first response to the enormous needs.
The Camillians have been in Kenya for almost 30 years. At Wajir, on the border with Somalia, one of the zones where thousands of people that have fled from hunger and a sure death are amassing, the Ministers of the Infirm (Sisters) have for the last several years operated a facility directed at meeting the social and healthcare needs of mothers and children.
At Wajir the Ministers of the Infirm will offer a natural logistical base to support what is already taking place and to plan for a larger intervention in the next few weeks directed at helping the thousands of refugees that are arriving from the areas affected by the famine.
To Donate
In the USA, to give an immediate one-time gift on-line to our East African famine effort:
http://www.sosdrs.org/English_Help_Us.htm
Or send a check to:
SOS DRS
1039 East Russell Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207
- Make your check payable to: SOS DRS
- On the memo line write: CTF/SOS DRS – Famine in the Horn of Africa
Bank Account of the Camillians – Camillian Task Force
IBAN: IT 54 E0351203200000000011643 – Credito Artigiano, Via S. Pio X, 6/1°- 00193 Roma BIC SWIFT: ARTIITM2
Bank Account of the Ministers of the Infirm (Sisters)
Al servizio della vita, Onlus
IBAN: IT70E0335901600100000006081 – Banca Prossima, filiale di Via Gregorio VII, 00165 Roma
Reason
To Support Relief Initiatives in the Horn of Africa
Earthquake Chile 41
Update
Chile – Phase 1 of Project Humanization Earthquake in Chile comes to an end in December 2010.
Since February 27, 2010, the day of the earthquake, CTF Chile has served many victims with the support of CTF Central, SOS DRS and the Italian Episcopal Conference. In conjunction with the Diocese of Linares, the Camillian Delegation in Chile, the two Camillian female congregations in Chile (the Daughters of Saint Camillus and the Ministers of the Sick,) and Misericordiae (Italy), we have provided the following benefits to the affected populations:
1. Humanitarian Assistance to 5000 families in Parral:
- Provided food, clothing, hygiene kits.
- Paid for the construction of 11 houses;
2. Pastoral Assistance:
- Trained 30 counselors
- Visited patients and staff at the hospitals in Parral and Cauquenes
- Provided intense individual counseling to approximately 300 people. Services were performed by counselors from the Center for Humanization in Madrid.
3. Medical Assistance
- Established mobile medical care to include the delivery of medications and transportation of patients to the hospital
- Provided 2 prefabricated modules:
1. Parral: A pediatric facility with 20 beds MOL, an isolation room, and a neonatal section
2. Cauquenes: Provided hospital with an adult facility with some 20 beds
CTF Chile has provided these facilities to the hospitals in Parral and Cauquenes for a predetermined time period. Together, the two structures will provide for the care of 4,000 patients over the next year.
CTF-SOS DRS is looking to exand its efforts in Chile. During my recent visit (Nov. 18-24, 2010,) I learned that a number of adults and children continue to suffer emotional trauma 9 months after the February earthquake.
CTF-SOS DRS will implement the following strategies on behalf of the traumatized population:
- CTF-SOS DRS will conduct a scientific study to examine the psychological effects of the earthquake on the population.
- CTF-SOS DRS will sponsor a pastoral formation program specific to the needs of the affected population
Please help us as we help those Chileans still traumatized by the earthquake
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Terremoto Cile 40 – Adios..
Termina esta “sagra (fiesta) de la caridad” 2010 como la llamaba San Camilo, o actividad pastoral en emergencia. Ha durado varios meses transformandose en una obra de reconstrucción de cosas y corazones. Seguramente ha transformado a nosostros como a los que han recibido los beneficios. Agradecemos a Dios que nos ha permitido de servirlo en una obra tan significativa y donde su rostro de misericordia ha brillado delante de todos los que sufrían y nos encontraron como CTF.
Lea mas y vea las fotos – http://camilodelellis.blogspot.com/2010/12/adios-pastoral-de-la-emergencia.html
CTF-SOS DRS is looking to extend its work in Chile. After my recent visit (Nov. 18-24, 2010) when I heard of the number of adults and children who are still traumatized by the earthquake, we have decided to sponsor pastoral formation programs in counseling and a scientific study to look at the psychological effects of the earthquake. Please help us as we help those Chileans still traumatized by the earthquake
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( Comments Off )Pakistan 18 – Kotri 3
Dear Confreres,
Greetings of peace and good health!
CTF brings Shelter and Health in Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan
Today it was a long but another fulfiling day. I was wearing my Camillian habit with red cross. It captured attention and surely many wondered what this red cross could mean… It was a silent witnessing. Slowly but gradually, so many including religious congregation are learning about our Congregation. Wherever, I go, I bring with my our vocation promotion material, stampitas, prayer for for the sick and 2011 Camillian Calendars.
We started our day with prayers for the success of our activities. With the help and collaboration of many people of good will we started our ministry of healing by conducting a medical camp in Khanpur, Kotri. since it was a first day,we almost started 9:45AM amidst a town of tents, a town in which misery reigns; the children run without warm clothes, socks, sleeps/shoes; some are sick and others are getting sick because of this cold weather which knows no poor, miserable or destitute. It is the place where previously I had seen many sick children with infections, colds, and other skin diseases.
Most of the patients were females, children and old women. At the end of the medical camp, 296 patients benefited from this activity. Mostly the people complained about the quality of the medicines and attention given to them. Mostly, the flood victims in these tents said, they received no medicines. If ever they did, it was equal to none. But this time all were happy with the medicines. They appreciated our presence and healing ministry, though all of them were Muslims. Aside from the doctor and nurses, we had some local volunteers and organizers who generously shared their times. The medical camp was closed at about 04:00 PM.
Simultaneously, in a different location, we also started the distribution of the roofing material among 26 families; The activity took place in the convent of the Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King. The sisters were very much supportive.
All were happy to receive this gift. It was a witness of the love of God for the people who need much help. Some referred back to Gospel of Matthew 25 wherein Jesus speaks about the Last Judgment and mentions of his people who give Him shelter.
The distribution took place in the presence of Fr. Samson Shukirdin, OFM, Srs. Mariam Shingara, Venus Bachan, FMCK. The help of our collaborators from Caritas Hyderabad, Mr. Attashad Asgar, OFM parish volunteers and other collaborators was significant. Our appreciation goes for them.
Ministers of the Infirm (CAMILLIANS)
Philippine Province
http://www.camilliansphil.org
Terremoto Cile 39 – Despedida Pellhue
Pelluhue uno de los lugares de Chile más afectados por el tsunami, con mayor úmero de muertos, nos ha despedido con una gran presencia de jovenes del colegio de Pelluhue donde hemos trabajado acompañando a los jovenes que habían sufrido pérdidas.
http://camilodelellis.blogspot.com/2010/12/una-despedida-la-ctf-rica-de-conmocion.html
CTF-SOS DRS is looking to extend its work in Chile. After my recent visit (Nov. 18-24, 2010) when I heard of the number of adults and children who are still traumatized by the earthquake, we have decided to sponsor pastoral formation programs in counseling and a scientific study to look at the psychological effects of the earthquake. Please help us as we help those Chileans still traumatized by the earthquake
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Pakistan 17 – CTF bring the Good News of Health and Shelter in Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan
Mushtaq Anjum, MI
December 8, 2010, was a long but another fulfilling day. I was wearing my Camillian habit with red cross. It captured attention and surely many wondered what this red cross could mean… It was a silent witnessing. Slowly but gradually, so many including religious congregation are learning about our Congregation. Wherever, I go, I bring with my our vocation promotion material, stampitas, prayer for for the sick and 2011 Camillian Calendars.
We started our day with prayers for the success of our activities. With the help and collaboration of many people of good will we started our ministry of healing by conducting a medical camp in Khanpur, Kotri. Since it was a first day, we almost started 9:45AM amidst a town of tents, a town in which misery reigns; the children run without warm clothes, socks, sleeps/shoes; some are sick and others are getting sick because of this cold weather which knows no poor, miserable or destitute. It is the place where previously I had seen many sick children with infections, colds, and other skin diseases.
Most of the patients were females, children and old women.
At the end of the medical camp, 296
patients benefited from this activity. 
Mostly the people complained about the quality of the medicines and attention given to them. Mostly, the flood victims in these tents said, they received no medicines.If ever they did, it was equal to none. But this time all were happy with the medicines. They appreciated our presence and healing ministry, though all of them were Muslims.
Aside from the doctor and nurses, we had some local volunteers and organizers who generously shared their times. The medical camp was closed at about 04:00 PM.
Simultaneously, in a different location, we also started the distribution of the roofing material among 26 families; The activity took place in the convent of the Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King. The sisters were very much supportive.

All were happy to receive this gift. It was a witness of the love of God for the people who need much help. Some referred back to Gospel of Matthew 25 wherein Jesus speaks about the Last Judgment and mentions of his people who give Him shelter.
The distribution took place in the presence of Fr. Samson Shukirdin, OFM, Srs. Mariam Shingara, Venus Bachan, FMCK. The help of our collaborators from Caritas Hyderabad, Mr. Attashad Asgar, OFM parish volunteers and other collaborators was significant. Our appreciation goes for them. The Camillians express their gratitude to His Excellency Msgr. Max J. Rodrigues, Bishop of Hyderabad, for his support.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( Comments Off )Cholera 18 – Josh reporting from the Field
SOS DRS and Cholera - Cholera 1-18
Josh Kent, a university student from New York, who heard about the work of SOS DRS when I was making a fundraising appeal in Syracuse, New York last summer at St. Ann’s Parish, is our newest volunteer in Haiti.
Josh actually came primarily to teach English to Haitians and foreign volunteers and to integrate in to our community in Port au Prince. But because i wanted him to have a taste of the mission before beginning his work as an ESL teacher, i sent him to Grand Anse to help with the cholera work – almost immediately after his arrival. Josh went with our other new volunteer, Dr. Ed Glavey – a critical care surgeon from Florida. More about Dr. Ed later.
Josh has become an important part of the team assisting Dr. Ed with cholera care; helping SO DRS maintain its inventory; sending reports from the field; helping with other logistics issues. And he has even shown a desire to learn Kreyol, something which makes me happy. It is a beautiful language, and Kreyol will come in handy as Josh plans to spend six months in Haiti, which will be a blessing for us and hopefully a grace-filled experience for Josh.
Here is a brief report and some pictures sent by Josh.
Father Scott,
Pakistan 16 – Update from Kotri 2
Dear Confreres,
Today, almost the whole day, I went to the possible locations where we will hold medical camps. I was with Mr. Attashad from Caritas Hyderabad. I met also Mr. Shamas Shamoon, the Executive Secretary of Caritas Hyderabad. He happily agreed to send Atta with me and promised to help us if needed.
We went to a tent camp near the railway lines in Kotri. We visited almost 160 families and saw the sick people; we saw several pregnant women; some have already given birth; one just gave birth few hours ago in that dirty, cold place without any facility. They had put to child under the sun on the floor outside. We saw many children with skin diseases. others with fever and many others with cold and cough due to cold weather.
We went also to around 6 other villages where we will hold med camps.
We will also hold a med camp in a tent city, which hosts around 2000 families. Some are working in that place but according to our contact person and guide (a nurse by profession) there is a severe need of med assistance.
We saw how people were being taken for granted; there was no respect for human beings. We also passed by a healthcare facility only for the railway personnel where 3 families were taking shelter and found out that no meds were given to any other the victims from that public facility.
We saw some schools and healthcare facilites where we will set up the med camp. The people are in need. The most vulnerable are women, children, old and persons with disability.
So much opportunities for the Camillians to practice charity and bring God’s merciful love to these people who long for healing and salvation…
God bless and more power to serve Jesus Christ in our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
Ministers of the Infirm (CAMILLIANS)
Philippine Province
http://www.camilliansphil.org
Cholera 17 – Tents and More Tents
Here is another taste of what it is like to provide cholera relief in remote Haiti.
Cholera patients come in all kinds. What they have in common is that they are sick with a terrible illness caused by an unrelenting organism – vibrio cholerae – that frequently causes significant diarrhea and vomiting, etc.
Not all patients become deathly ill though, and so we of SOS DRS have to be able to separate people from one another - those who are very sick from those who can be treated with oral solution, and then those who need to be evaluated and observed and treated only minimally.
And we also have to have a place to put supplies and medical staff who are helping the patients: you can’t stray too far from the cholera patients because they need constant care. Some need numerous bags of IV fluids every day and that means a process: starting an IV in a dehydrated patient; placing the bag; changing the bag; restarting the IV when access is lost, etc.
Part of my job as the coordinator of Project Perpetual Help Haiti is to make sure the patients and the staff have enough materials and the conditions to work. And I am doing that in strict collaboration with Theresia Sinaga who is the program director of our cholera relief efforts.
On January 10 Theresia, MarcDaly and I were in Port au Prince together. I had just returned from 10 days in Grand Anse. T and MD had been in PaP for only 3 days after spending 14 days in GA themselves. They are the ones who really got the cholera response going when we made a decision to respond to the epidemic in addition to our hurricane and earthquake relief efforts.
That was a decision that took them right before Christmas to Les Irois where for days they took care of patients and helped to deliver medications. Then there was an outbreak in Carcasse on December 26. A series of events took place that have helped us take care of hundreds of cholera patients who would have otherwise likely died. Of course we have been working together with locals, especially two nurses in Carcasse – Veronica and Vendredi – whose efforts have been close to heroic: working with cholera patients ia a 24-hour-job. And of course we have done all this together with Fr. Verdieu, a priest of the Diocese of Jeremie and the Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Carcasse.
Collaboration is important. And recognizing one’s limitations is important as well. SOS DRS is a growing NGO that is part of the CTF network, and it is now working in a very difficult situation in remote Haiti. One thing we do not have access to is tents. And we cannot make them ourselves. And patients need to sleep and be treated somewhere. So when Therese, MarcDaly and I were together on 1/10 we went to the healthcare officer of a UN organization to ask for tents. It is usually this UN organization that provides tents in disaster situations.
And then I wrote a follow-up e-mail to reiterate our need. Here is that e-mail, which gives you a sense of what we are doing in GA and a taste of what it is like to provide relief in remote Haiti.
From: sfbrome2@hotmail.com
Subject: Tents for Cholera Treatment Centers in Grand Anse – (SOS Doctors) – Fr. Scott Binet
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:27:49 +0100
Dear C,
Health and peace to you.
We met last night at the UN logistics base in PaP. I was with Therese and MarcDaly, two other members of SOS DRS (SOS Doctors). As I indicated SOS DRS is presently authorized to respond to the cholera epidemic in Grand Anse, which we have been doing since mid-December Right now we have 2 Cholera Treatment Centers – one is in Les Irois and one is in Carcasse. And we are preparing a mobile cholera unit because the number of cases is increasing and preparing for mobile medical work. Thus we need some help – specifically with tents.
As I mentioned last night, we could really benefit from 8 tents – 4 large tents [72 m] and 4 medium tents:
Here is how we think we will use the tents:
CTC – Les Irois:
1. Large Tent – [CTF - pt. care - ORS, less serious on IVF]
2. Medium Tent – more serious patients – IVF, etc.]
CTC – Carcasse:
1. Medium Tent – more serious patients – IVF, etc.]
Mobile Cholera [in case of another outbreak]
1. Large Tent – [CTF - pt. care - ORS, less serious on IVF]
2. Medium Tent – more serious patients – IVF, etc.]
Mobile Medical [to underserved areas]
1. Large Tent – pt registration, evaluation, consultation, treatment, pharmacy area]
2. Medium Tent – for patients who need to be treated and then observed while supine – IVF, some storage
3. Large tent – for the team – personal items, sleeping, supplies
I did not mention this last night, but If by chance you have 20-24 gauge catheters for IV fluid administration, that would be great. We are in significant need.
My telephone number is 3858-4909. I can be reached via e-mail as well. Theresia and Mark will pick up the supplies. Her number is 3858-4904.
Father Scott F. Binet, MD, MI
We will see what the response is. Stay tuned.
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