Plea to help Nepal earthquake victims
Kathmandu residents left homeless and destitute after an earthquake.
GIFT of the Givers is urging people to contribute food parcels at R200 for a family, or R300 for tent material for a family tent. This plea follows the organisation’s response to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Gift of the Givers’ first team, comprising 43 members, left for Kathmandu on Wednesday, 29 April. This was the search and rescue component and an initial, small medical component.
Imtiaz Sooliman from Gift of the Givers said search teams went through the city and deep into the rural areas, marking buildings where victims lay buried.
“In rural areas destruction is almost complete with very few houses standing. Shelter in the form of tents is a huge requirement and desperation increases as the days pass on. The monsoon rains are five weeks away.
“Hunger in distant districts is also a reality; in some areas looting takes place when rescue teams arrive unannounced and without security. People are full of expectation and require huge assistance,” he said.
The second team of 37 members arrived on Friday, 1 May at Kathmandu with a contingent of 33 trauma specialists. The medical team, like the search and rescue team, was warmly welcomed and given total co-operation by Nepalese authorities.
The teams are running seven theatres in five hospitals, carrying out major surgical procedures. A primary healthcare team is touring several mountainous areas, carrying out house visits and doing outreach programmes for certain hospitals.
Gift of the Givers is providing two meals a day for the patients and their families. Very highly-specialised surgery is being carried out by the trauma specialists as local doctors pass on complicated cases.
“All medical supplies and implants required for orthopaedic procedures are funded by Gift of the Givers. People and government facilities are of modest means.
“There is now a request for skills transfer to train both doctors and medical students. Our specialised wound-care nurses are in great demand,” added Sooliman.
Any other contributions are welcomed. Contact the toll free number on 080 078 6911.
