[FINAL v6] PDF 2014- 2015 Malaysia Floods

DURING DISASTER
During the flood, the standardization management at the state level is very important. Due
to the large-scale of disaster in the recent flood, it is necessary for the secretariat at the
state level to adjust all requests from the district to ensure the continuity of health and
medical services delivered to all the victims, especially for those who are placed in disaster
evacuation centres. Health and medical teams were the main element in the management
of flood evacuees. These two teams will be deployed to all DRC evacuation sites to enable
the service delivered. As for the medical team, they provide services in terms of medical
check-ups including treatments to the injured victims. Evacuees who have chronic health
problems and no complications will be given adequate medicines. On the contrary, those
with complications will be referred to the nearest hospital. The medical team should visit
the DRC at least twice a day. Problem arises when the DRC is not accessible by road which
in this situation it limits the medical team to continue the service. In order to overcome this
problem alternative routes will be used either by boat or by helicopter. The medical team in
the previous disaster managed to reach 100% coverage of the DRC and had given
appropriate medical treatment.
As for the health team, activities that were being carried out during flood disaster were
vector control, clean-water and food quality control, sanitation inspection and health
promotion. On the other hand, the health team also have to cover surrounding areas
against potential pandemic disease. The health promotion team will educate the evacuees
in the DRC on personal hygiene, the do’s and don’ts during the flood especially in the
prevention of disease outbreak. Apart from that, demonstrations, group discussions and
poster were also provided in all DRC as a mean of delivering information related to
hygiene, infectious disease symptoms and any information related to health. During the last
flood, Psychological First Aid (PFA) team played a very important role in the DRC. PFA is a
group consist of a psychiatrist, medical officer and nurses who were trained to provide
group counselling, talks and monitoring the evacuees with the Depression, Anxiety & Stress
Scale (DASS) Tests. Psychological impact of flood-related disaster on victims will be
referred to the hospital for further treatment. The same DASS Test will be conducted by
PFA team to staff who works on field. The PFA is now becoming a new element in disaster
management to control stress among victims and officers during a disaster. Last flood
disaster has showed a solid commitment and involvement PFA team to flood-affected areas
in Pahang. The presence of these teams did help in controlling and diagnosing the stress
among victims, volunteers and staffs.
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