International SOS alarm centres in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India managed more than 1,000 cases of clients requesting assistance since the Tsunami disaster struck on 27 Dec 2004.
More than 70 staff, one-third are medical professionals, worked around the clock to render assistance - ranging from medical advice such as vaccinations, safety of water; requests to locate missing persons; repatriation of mortal remains; to situation updates. SOS received more than 300 requests from clients to help locate missing persons.
At the same time, more than 30 victims of the tsunami disaster have been evacuated out of affected areas by SOS. The majority were tourists vacationing in Thailand. They were airlifted from Krabi, Surat Thani, Phuket and Colombo to seek medical treatment in Bangkok and Singapore. The youngest victim air-lifted was a 7-year-old.
"We deployed all available resources from our global network of alarm centres and clinics to assist our clients in this tragedy. We mobilized a wide range of experts, including security, logistics, aviation and medical to ensure we can address the full range of our clients' needs. For example, we ensured that the staff managing repatriation of mortal remains were culturally sensitive to the practices of the various ethnic groups," said Dr Pascal Rey Herme, Group Medical Director, International SOS.
Ximena Besnier, who was accompanying a friend who was being evacuated on a SOS air ambulance from Krabi to Singapore said: "The SOS paramedic in Krabi was attentive to all our needs and was a pillar of support in this very difficult time. The flight was smooth and SOS ensured that our every need was met. The staff were professional and treated us like family."
SOS has set up a temporary 24-hour Alarm Centre in Phuket manned by 3 senior doctors. Additional teams were also traveling to Krabi and Phang Nga to visit hospitals and render medical assistance and support to clients as Phang-Nga province has been the worst hit area in Thailand.
Reports from SOS teams on the ground indicate that the deceased in the affected areas are badly decomposed and visual identification is difficult, if not impossible. The various governments have indicated that the deceased will be photographed and numbered, while DNA samples may be taken to assist in the identification process.
To assist clients in the difficult task of identifying their missing persons, SOS has deployed additional resources to Thailand to liaise with government authorities and advise clients on the collection of DNA samples etc.
At the same time, the situation in southern Thailand is vulnerable to a range of risks including looting, contaminated water, disease, and inadequate food supply. SOS is discouraging families with missing relatives from traveling to affected areas in southern Thailand at this time as the likelihood of being able to find missing relatives or identifying bodies is low without expert assistance. SOS Reception Teams will be available to assist clients and families with accommodation and transport arrangements when they are in Thailand.
About International SOS
International SOS (http://www.internationalsos.com/) is the world's leading provider of global medical and security assistance. International SOS provides clients with a comprehensive portfolio of medical and security services to ensure that people travelling and working internationally have access to immediate help. Services range from 24-hour medical advice, referrals to qualified doctors and hospitals and provision of emergency medical and security evacuations when there is a critical illness or accident, or civil unrest.
The emergency assistance programme of choice for thousands of multi-national and Fortune 500 companies, International SOS handled over 370,000 assistance cases last year, including more than 10,000 medical evacuations. It also provided care to a further 170,000 patients at its network of 22 International SOS clinics.
International SOS has global operations in over 60 countries, spanning five continents and employs over 3,700 dedicated professionals in SOS Alarm Centres, clinics and remote medical facilities. With 30 years of experience, International SOS has established a global reputation for an unmatched level of service known for its quality, professionalism and integrity.
For more information, please contact:
Grace Ngoh
International SOS
DID: (65) 6330-0134
Mobile: (65) 9878-9623
Email: grace.ngoh@internationalsos.com
