Philippines: Two years after the typhoon MAGNA helped to restore health care

At the beginning of November 2013, exactly two years ago, Philipinnes was hit by the typhoon Haiyan. 6.300 people died and hundreds of thousands people lost their homes. Humanitarian organisation MAGNA has been operating in Philipinnes immediately after the catastrophe until February 2015. MAGNA sent to Philipinnes humanitarian teams which already fourth day after the catastrophe distributed humanitarian aid. In the first phase we have been distributing food, hygienic supplies and shelters in the area of North Cebu. The key area of MAGNA team’s action was mainly acute health and consequently psychosocial assistance. During 16 months MAGNA had in the field 90 workers – health workers, psychologists, therapist, social workers. In our three centres we assisted to more than 35.000 victims of typhoon Haiyan with psychosocial assistance. From that in schools we assisted to more than 5.000 children of different ages in three priority areas (Tacloban/Palo, Ormoc area, North Cebu). We helped to retrieve functioning of health care and improved resilience of communities and their ability to overcome problems.

In the most affected areas typhoon caused extensive damage in infrastructure which prevented access of victims to the health care. Until 60 % of health devices in affected areas were damaged and half of health workers was seriously hit. „Our goal was to help retrieving basic care and improve health conditions in the villages in affected areas. MAGNA built, repaired and equipped two health centres destroyed by the typhoon, which are still functioning today. They provide basic health care, first aid, mothers and babies care, they help to diagnose deseases of all the members of communities, who were dependent in past on the services of destroyed facilities. It is something we are delighted today, two years after. Because improving of health care is a fundamental mission of our organisation. Medical aid here and now. “ says Martin Bandžák, director of MAGNA.

MAGNA strenghtened providing of health services in remote areas of Philipinnes. The project covered 10 villages (San Isidro, Santa Cruz, Salvacion, Gacao, San Antonio, Cabarasan Daku, Cabarasan Guti, Campetik, San Augustin and Candahug) and provided help for 13.387 victims of typhoon, including 2.677 of households and 5.355 of children.

In the year 2015 MAGNA included in its activities project Community Resiliency Model – CRM focused on remote and seriously affected areas of Kananga province on the island Leyte. CRM is a model, which teaches people, leaders of communities, to manage identification and solution of problems. In principle how to help themselves and the others. MAGNA trained 136 of community workers, midwives, nurses from the health centres in the villages as well as teachers of local schools.