Phl ready to send medical aid to quake-hit Myanmar, Thailand

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said it is ready to send three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams (PEMAT) to its earthquake-hit Southeast Asian neighbors.

This after a magnitude 7.7 tremor struck Myanmar and Thailand on Friday, 28 March, leaving over 150 persons dead and injuring hundreds of individuals.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said he immediately instructed PEMATs to be on standby for deployment once international coordination protocols with the affected countries are complete and a request is received.

"We are continuously in touch with the Office of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for further instructions as the Philippines coordinates with its earthquake-stricken ASEAN neighbors," Herbosa said.

The DOH has earlier deployed PEMAT members from the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (PEMAT Luzon) and Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium (PEMAT Metro Manila) to Turkey after an earthquake in 2023.

More recently, the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (PEMAT Visayas) has also organized its own.

PEMAT Metro Manila, PEMAT Luzon, and PEMAT Visayas have been awarded the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Team (EMT) by WHO Singapore Emergency Medical Team and Japan Disaster Relief.

All three PEMATS are certified and recognized for international humanitarian deployment and are classified as Type 1 Fixed EMTs, which means they can provide daylight hours care for acute trauma and non-trauma presentations and referrals.

The PEMATS from DOH can also do ongoing health investigation or care and community-based primary care in a fixed outpatient facility.

"The DOH can send our PEMAT should there be a need for humanitarian medical assistance in Myanmar and Thailand. We are ready," Herbosa added.