Responding to health needs in hard-to-reach areas of flood-affected Attapeu, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
This is Khansay Sisounthone, a nurse from Attapeu Provincial Hospital Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Known as “Say”, she has been deployed to Tamoryot village to treat patients affected by the recent flas flooding.
The roads to Tamoryot have been heavily damaged and made impassa by the floods. Nevertheless, health workers including Say are transport by helicopter – as are food, medicines and other critical supplies.
Say reports that the situation is improving. Health services are now wel organised in the evacuation centre and people can access the basic ca they need. If a patient needs to be hospitalised, they are carried out on of the same helicopters which brought Say in.
They continue to face challenges: the floodwaters have not yet fully receded and they don’t have access to the kind of fully-equipped intens care unit she is used to working in. But people are working together to f solutions.
Say is just one of hundreds of local and international health workers deployed to Attapeu Province to provide life-saving health care. The loc medical teams alone have provided almost 5000 health consultations to those affected by flooding. The Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization, is coordinating their deployment and makin sure they have the training, medicines and supplies they need to serve community.