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November/December 1999 Floods Devastate Central Vietnam
Uplift
International and Project HOPE Respond with Emergency Airlift of The worst flooding Vietnam
has seen in the last 100 years has claimed nearly 1,000 lives and left tens of
thousands injured and sick. The floods damaged over 210,000 homes leaving
1.4 million people homeless and destroyed over 80,000 tons of rice. The
storms have left many cultural sites in the imperial city of Hue damaged.
Early estimates put the value of the damage at US $250 million. Many
hospitals and health clinics have been destroyed or damaged. In December UPLIFT International and Project HOPE airlifted
medicines and medical supplies to Central Vietnam. The medicines
(antibiotics, analgesics, antifungals, I.V. solutions, etc.) and medical supplies will go to Hue Central UPLIFT International has a long-standing relationship in Hue. We have been working on a medical education program with Hue Medical College. Hue Medical College, affiliated with Hue Central Hospital, is the primary medical school serving central Vietnam. UPLIFT International worked with Hue Medical College and medical officials in Hue to determine precisely what medicines and medical supplies are required and airlift a shipment that meets the need. Korean Air is generously providing shipment of the donated supplies from the United States to Vietnam, as well as other logistical aspects of the mission. UPLIFT International and Project HOPE have worked together on a number of projects in Vietnam over the last several years, including a $300,000 (wholesale value) emergency shipment of antibiotics in November 1997 after Typhoon Linda struck the southern most provinces of Vietnam killing over 5,000 people.
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Medicines,
medical supplies, and equipment have been destroyed by the flood at the same
time that the medical system is severely strained by the needs of those affected
by the floods. Disease has struck thousands and tens of thousands more are
vulnerable. Intestinal disease, diarrhea, dengue fever, flu, eye
infections and respiratory ailments have broken out in five of the eight flood
ravaged provinces
Hospital in the imperial city of Hue and to Quang Tri Provincial Hospital
in Quang Tri along the old DMZ. Medicines and supplies will also be distributed to medical facilities
throughout the region.