MANILA – Aside from providing relief and other humanitarian assistance, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) also distributed health and medical kits to families severely affected by Super Typhoon Rolly in Bicol to prevent transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the evacuation centers.
PRC chairman and CEO Senator Richard Gordon stressed the importance of maintaining health and sanitation as hundred thousand of individuals remain in the temporary shelters after the strongest typhoon this year had destroyed their houses.
“Madaling kumalat ang iba’t ibang nakakahawang mga sakit sa mga evacuation centers dahil sa dami ng taong sama-sama doon. Kailangan nating pangalagaan ang mabuting kalusugan ang mga taong nasa evacuation centers at panatilihin ang kalinisan doon kaya kami ay nagsagawa ng mga hakbang para rito (Infectious diseases will easily spread in evacuation centers because of too many people there. We have to protect their health and maintain cleanliness and that’s why we take steps to address this problem),” he said in a news release on Sunday.
Gordon said that aside from ensuring sufficient supply of potable water, the PRC has also established health or first aid stations in the evacuation centers.
He said PRC also sent an initial shipment of almost 20,000 face masks and 1,500 face shields.
A truck carrying the shipment, among others, left the PRC’s national headquarters along EdSa on Saturday to deliver the supplies to the PRC chapters in Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes.
“This is just the first shipment, most of which will be distributed to our staff and volunteers, to ensure uncompromised delivery of services to the affected families,” he said. (PR)
