May 26, 2008, Yangon, Myanmar - International Medical Corps hopes that Sunday's donor conference for the victims of the devastating cyclone three weeks ago will lead to clear and efficient guidelines speeding up badly needed relief efforts. The one-day meeting, hosted by the UN and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), led to initial pledges of over $50 million from 51 countries.
"We anticipate that all aid workers will soon be able to access remote areas that were affected by the storm. The closer we get to the people the more efficient our response will be," says Edi Cosic, International Medical Corps emergency response director, from Yangon. "We are optimistic and ready to address the most urgent needs of thousands of people in the delta."
According to media reports about 500 delegates participated in the conference that could kick start a multilateral effort to bring urgently needed humanitarian assistance to more than two million vulnerable survivors. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hoped the meeting would mark a turning point in tackling the challenges facing this country and added that he anticipated the relief operation would last at least six months.
"We cannot afford to loose more time. People are exposed to diarrhea, respiratory infections, and many other health risks in the short-term," says Cosic. "We are prepared for a response that will also address long-term effects like general food insecurity and malnutrition given that so much fertile land has been destroyed."
International Medical Corps recently deployed its emergency response team to Myanmar. In cooperation with partner organizations already active in the country IMC is currently determining the best and most efficient way to assist the cyclone victims. IMC has secured emergency supplies, including medicines, hygiene kits, and water purification tablets, and has partnered with a local organization to facilitate the clearance and distribution of relief items awaiting permission to enter. One of IMC's partners is currently administering emergency services in and around Yangon through a network of mobile and stationary medical clinics. With many of Myanmar's roads impassable due to flooding and debris, IMC is also developing plans for logistical supply lines to the hardest hit areas.
More than 130,000 people have died or are still missing after the cyclone pummeled five areas, including its largest city, Yangon, and its rice-growing region, the Irrawaddy Delta. With five states declared disaster zones, the government has established an emergency committee headed by the Prime Minister and has asked the international community for help in its relief effort. After destroying much of its agriculture, the cyclone is also likely to increase Myanmar's food insecurity in a time of rising food costs.
Since its inception nearly 25 years ago, International Medical Corps' mission has been consistent: relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease, by delivering vital health care services that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information visit our website at www.imcworldwide.org.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Private cars and trucks are seen on a road leading to Myanmar's cyclone devastated Irrawaddy delta in this picture taken over the weekend, May 2008. Foreign aid workers headed for the ...
