A group of Chilean graduates from the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) are currently working in the Biobío region, providing care to victims of the devastating forest fires ravaging the south-central part of the country.
The brigade, coordinated by Cindy Álvarez, set up a health post in the Chinatown of Lirquén, in the municipality of Penco, one of the areas most affected by the fires, with 80 percent of the homes destroyed.
“We provide consultations there, but in addition to that, we at ELAM go to the sites where people whose homes burned down are unable to leave because they have to clean up and remove debris,” Dr. Mario Gómez Mannarelli told Prensa Latina.
He explained that they first conduct a study of the number of children and adults, noting whether they have any chronic illnesses or are experiencing health complications, and then provide them with the necessary medications.
“That’s how we always act in the face of disasters. It’s what we learned in Cuba,” he said.
The wildfires left a preliminary death toll of 21, more than 2,000 homes destroyed, and 20,000 people displaced.
“At night we go to the shelters, where people come to sleep and there are always needs. There are many cases of post-traumatic anxiety because they lost everything,” the doctor explained.
The doctors, who are part of the development NGO ELAM-Chile, traveled to Biobío on their own and brought their medications.
“We are the army of White Coats, and we introduce ourselves as doctors who graduated in Cuba, from ELAM and the Henry Reeve Brigade,” he concluded.
Teams from the National Forestry Corporation, volunteer firefighters, and security forces, supported by heavy machinery and aircraft, are working to control the flames, where brigades from Mexico and Uruguay are also present.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
