By Christina Orlovsky, senior staff writer
- Update: March 4, 2005
- Update: February 15, 2005
- Update: February 10, 2005
- Update: January 11, 2005
- Update: January 10, 2005
As the death toll from the post-Christmas tsunami in Southeast Asia rises past 150,000, many Americans are looking to assist in the relief effort. Children are doubling up on chores to earn donation money from their parents; businesses are matching employees' monetary contributions; and nurses are feeling the call to duty, searching for ways they can put their training to use.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson released a statement urging the medical community to do all it can to provide financial, medical and technical assistance to the hard hit nations.
"The medical community has an opportunity to play a special role in alleviating suffering in Asia, and I appreciate the industry's leaders joining us to see how we can most effectively work together to provide aid in the region," Thompson said.
HHS has deployed 20 employees to the region to assist with activities related to vaccine-preventable diseases, childhood injuries and trauma, malaria control, health and nutrition, mental health and rapid needs assessment.
The United States Navy also deployed the USNS Mercy, a hospital ship with a 1,000-bed capacity, to the region to assist in whatever way necessary, including providing food, water, shelter and medical help to both survivors and relief workers.
While a national call for nurses has not yet been issued, organizations like the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) have released statements to all nurses eager to respond to the medical challenges that face the survivors in the hard hit regions.
According to the ICN, "There is no capacity to absorb any further relief workers on the ground." The organization advises nurses against traveling to the region on their own.
To this end, the ENA is searching for partnering groups to coordinate logistics for nurses who wish to volunteer. An ENA spokesperson said talks are continuing, but as of yet, nothing has materialized.
In the meantime, both the ICN and ENA are suggesting that nurses who wish to provide immediate assistance do so with monetary contributions to such organizations as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and CARE, which are working to determine the areas in the greatest need.
Nurses can also seek out local relief groups, which are organizing smaller efforts that do include trained professionals.
Northwest Medical Teams, a non-profit group based in Portland, Oregon, is just one example. The agency has sent two groups of volunteers, including nurses, to Thailand and Indonesia in the past week.
For other nurses who wish to participate on the ground, the ICN and ENA recommend registering with national nurses associations and major disaster relief agencies and waiting to see what needs arise.
"Although it is frustrating to play the waiting game, experience from past disasters demonstrates many problems associated with sending personnel too quickly, without the necessary logistical support and a clear definition of roles and responsibilities," said ENA president Patti Howard.
Needs should become much clearer in the coming weeks as organizations are able to reach the stricken areas and determine relief priorities. While no one is sure just yet what these priorities will be, one thing is certain: It's going to be a long road ahead for survivors and all relief workers helping to rebuild their shattered lives.
American Donations to Tsunami Relief Efforts top $1 Billion
According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, in Indianapolis, Indiana, private United States donors have contributed more than $1 billion to various relief efforts in response to the Dec. 26 tsunami. The agency tallied donations and found that donors gave more than $942 million in cash contributions and an additional $117 million in products and services to more than 130 U.S. nonprofit relief agencies, including the American Red Cross, AmeriCares and Mercy Corps. Some organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders and the American Red Cross, have stated that the money donated for tsunami relief is sufficient to meet their needs, at least for now, the Wall Street Journal reported.
ICN Creates Toolkit for Donations to Nursing Organizations
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is making it easier to donate to foreign nursing organizations aiding in the tsunami relief effort. Through the ICN Web site, the organization is acting as a focal point for national nursing associations who want to donate money directly to national nursing organizations in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand.
Emergency Nurses Help Out Onboard U.S. Navy Hospital Ship
Medical volunteers from the Emergency Nurses Association have joined the 93-person team of Project HOPE aid workers onboard the USNS Mercy. The ship, which arrived in the tsunami region on Feb. 1, began providing medical assistance on Feb. 5. The organization, which had planned to send medical workers in two shifts, fulfilled its second shift on Feb. 4, but is still accepting financial donations. See the Project HOPE Web site for more information.
RNs Needed to Aid in Tsunami Relief
Project HOPE is organizing health officials interested in volunteering in tsunami-stricken southeast Asia. The organization is immediately recruiting licensed registered nurses in various specialties. Groups will deploy on 30-day assignments in support of the United States Navy and the ship USNS Mercy. The first group will depart on January 26. Interested parties are asked to e-mail resumes to Project HOPE at recruitment@projecthope.org with "tsunami relief" and specialty in the subject line.
Government Extends Tax Deadline for 2004 Donations
With Americans eager to send donations to tsunami victims, the House and Senate approved a bill to extend the deadline for taxpayers to make charitable donations that can be deducted from their 2004 taxes. The bill, which is now cleared for President Bush's signature, allows taxpayers until Jan. 31 to make a deductible contribution to tsunami relief efforts.
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