DOH: Panic, hysteria still grip earthquake victims

LEYTE QUAKE

A week after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake jolted the province of Leyte last Thursday, doctors and other medical practitioners from Cebu continue to care for the needs of the victims.

This as several Leyte residents continued to go into panic and experience hysteria each time an aftershock hits the area, according to Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Paulyn Ubial who was in Cebu on Wednesday.

Ubial told reporters that 76 high school students were treated in hospitals because of hysteria and anxiety attacks during the 5.4-magnitude aftershock last July 10.

“Discharged na po yung karamihan sa kanila but there are still nine students who suffered from hysteria attack who are in the hospital being provided psychosocial support and some medications,” said Ubial.

Two victims also suffered from spine injury after panicking during an aftershock.

“The victims actually jump off the hotel building which added to the casualties list of the earthquake because of panic,” she added.

Dr. Shelbay Blanco, Medical Officer III of DOH-7, said that among those sent to Leyte were 10 personnel from their regional office and 12 others coming from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

The group will especially focus on the victims’ need for potable water, sanitation, proper hygiene, medical attention, nutrition and psychosocial intervention.

The team left Cebu for Leyte last Friday and brought with them medicines, water and sanitation supplies.

He said the team members were tasked to coordinate with the local government of Ormoc for the conduct of health assessment on families that were forced to flee their homes following last week’s tremor.

Blanco said the DOH-7 team will remain in Ormoc City for as long as their services are needed by the earthquake victims.

According to DOH records, 310 people were brought to hospitals for earthquake-related injuries last July 6.

Only 41 patients were admitted. Among them, an 11-year-old girl who lost her leg.

“Yung 11-year-old girl, when the road opened, nahulog yung paa niya and then it closed and crashed her foot,” Ubial said.

(The 11-year-old girl fell when the road opened and then when it closed, it crashed her foot.)

Evacuation centers

Earthquake victims continue to crowd evacuation centers as officials of the Leyte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) declared that it was not yet safe for the evacuees to go back to their earthquake-damaged homes due to several aftershocks.

According to Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, schools and government offices in the province are also being checked by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel to determine the integrity of the government structures.

Dino said that he is now looking for generator sets that he could borrow from Cebu businessmen and send them to Ormoc City to help power pumps that can supply potable water to the city and other parts of Leyte.