MINISTRYOFHEALTH.docVIP

MINISTRY OF HEALTH NATIONAL MEDICAL CARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE NMCPHC IMMEDIATE POST HURRICANE DEAN HEALTH SECTOR SITUATION REPORT AUGUST 21, 2007 Immediate Post Hurricane Dean - Health Sector Situation Report August 21, 2007 I. General Situation As a precautionary measure, the Government of Belize, through the National Emergency Management Organization NEMO , declared Phase I Hurricane Watch at 2:00 pm on Friday August 17th, 2007. However, people living in highly vulnerable areas Cayes and Coastal areas had already initiated voluntary evacuation. As the Hurricane made a slight shift in direction more to the West, NEMO declared Phase III for the entire coast of Belize at 6:00 am August 20th, 2007 which led to an increase in evacuations, especially from the Cayes and Belize City. Hurricane Dean made landfall at 1:45 am Tuesday 21st August, as a category 5 hurricane with winds of 165 mph approximately 60 miles from the Belize Northern Border with Mexico. While the full force of Hurricane Dean did not hit Belize, the Northern Districts Corozal and Orange Walk and the Cayes Ambergris and Caye Caulker experienced strong winds damaging roofs, uprooting trees and affecting power lines, water supply and telecommunications. Papaya and sugarcane crops were severely affected. It is estimated that about 20,000 people were directly affected; however no major health concerns have been reported to date. II. Health Sector Response Following the advice of NEMO, the National Medical Care and Public Health Committee NMCPHC , chaired by the Ministry of Health, was activated at 11:30 am on Friday, August 17th, 2007 and implemented the following: All subcommittee were activated in all districts in accordance with their respective plans. On Monday 20th, the NMCPHC Emergency Operations Center EOC became fully operational. Additional essential pharmaceuticals e.g. asthma and other respiratory infection medicines were procured to enable each district to have adequa