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AMSA’s Response to the Supertyphoon Haiyan

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 18th November 2013

My fellow AMSA members from the Philippines, the Asia-Pacific region, and beyond,

On the 8th of November, 2013, the Philippines was subjected to the Supertyphoon Haiyan, which caused a large loss of life and mass devastation in the Visayas islands in the Philippines. At the time of writing, it has been reported that in the Philippines, 3,976 people are dead, 18,175 are injured and 1,590 people still remain missing. Total damages in agriculture and infrastructure have been reported to amount to PHP 10,339,290,061 (equivalent to $USD 236,924,831).

While the Supertyphoon Haiyan has since dissipated, focus has been placed on the aftermath of the disaster, where government, local, national and international agencies have faced logistical problems as a result of the extreme damage to infrastructure. Unknown numbers of survivors do not have access to clean water, food and medicine, which is crucial in the acute stages of post-disaster management.

On behalf of AMSA International, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the victims of the Supertyphoon Haiyan, and extend AMSA International’s support to AMSA Philippines in providing support and aid to those affected by this disaster. I hereby initiate the disaster response protocols of the Tokyo Declaration, of which all the Regional Chairpersons of AMSA International agreed upon and signed at the East Asian Medical Students’ Conference in Tokyo, Japan on the 30th December, 2012. As per protocols, an emergency fund has been set up for AMSA Philippines to use in their disaster relief and aid projects.

For more information on how individual AMSA members can provide assistance or donations to the relief efforts, please contact the Regional Chairperson of your local AMSA chapter. We have set up an Emergency Bulletin Board, which will be updated with regular news and photographs from the members of AMSA Philippines and those helping with humanitarian aid, and can be accessed on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/amsasresponsetosupertyphoonhaiyan.

We hope that AMSA Philippines, with the support of AMSA International, can improve the post-disaster situation of all those affected by the Supertyphoon Haiyan.

Sincerely yours,

SAMUEL VO

Overall Chairperson

Asian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) International

chair@amsa-international.org

www.amsa-international.org