Marco Jimenez in Mexico-City
The Mexican Red Cross is getting ready to face the emergency caused by the outbreak of the swine flu in Mexico City – the biggest in the world – and which by now has spread to large parts of Mexico. The MRC is carrying out its role supporting actions implemented by the public authorities in coordination with its 486 regional delegations and the Mexican Health Ministry.
« Our strategy is based on three critical objectives: ensure prehospital care to those who request it in the Mexican Red Cross (MRC) units; make sure that patients are brought in MRC ambulances to specialist hospitals; and inform the public about the illness and about measures they can take to protect themselves, » says Isaac Oxenhaut, National Relief Coordinator of the Mexican Red Cross.
MRC volunteers – more than 12,000 in total – have been trained to identify the illness, as they will be in the front line providing care as the operation goes on. « It is a priority that our volunteers are protected against any possible infection. We have provided them with protective glasses, gowns, masks and gloves, » assures Oxenhaut, « it is essential to take care of our human resources to ensure our continued ability to serve those who need us. » The MRC will receive antivirals from the Ministry of Health as part of the programme to protect health workers throughout the country where needed.
With regard to information, the MRC has just printed 200,000 posters and 2 million leaflets as a first step informing about the flu, its symptoms and prevention measures. These will be distributed immediately.
The National Societies of Spain, the United States and Norway have already offered technical and physical support to the MRC. A representation from the Regional Delegation (Yunan) of the Chinese Red Cross visited the headquarters of the MRC providing an opportunity to exchange experiences about how the Chinese Red Cross dealt with the SARS outbreak in 2003.
The MRC has begun coordination meetings with National Societies who may potentially be directly involved in the near future. Yesterday, the president of the Mexican Red Cross, Daniel Goñi Díaz took part in a teleconference with the presidents of the National Societies of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, the Pan American Disaster Response Unit in Panama and the Secretariat of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies preparing for the possible spreading of the illness throughout Central America.
“All efforts must be focused on a consistent response to this crisis” concludes Marco Franco, deputy- coordinator for national disasters. The Mexican Red Cross has currently more than 12 300 volunteers.