Public healthThai health officials prevent outbreaks in historic floods

Thai officials acted rapidly to prevent disease outbreaks after floods // Source: ethailand.com

Thanks to Thailand’s aggressive public health and emergency response operations, the country managed successfully to prevent disease outbreaks following record floods.

Beginning in July, a severe monsoon season brought torrential rains resulting in much of Thailand’s southern provinces becoming inundated with water from the Chao Phraya and Mekong River basin.

More than 12.8 million people were affected and the World Bank estimated that flooding caused $45 billion in damages, making it the world’ s fourth costliest disaster to date surpassing the 11 March earthquake and tsunami in Japan. As of early December, some areas remained submerged in six feet of water, yet despite the historic floods, public health officials managed to avoid waterborne disease outbreaks.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization applauded the country’s outbreak prevention efforts which included the deployment of medical and public health teams across the country as well as the innovative 30 baht, or roughly $1, per hospital visit policy which allowed low income victims of the floods to seek medical attention.

In addition, even though many healthcare facilities and hospitals were hit by flooding, Thailand’s public health administration was able to continue providing clean drinking water and medicine to flood victims.

Health officials also noted that quick investigation and follow-up operations were the key to its success in preventing outbreaks.

Thai health officials will share their insights and experiences from the floods with other countries at a regional meeting on emergency management scheduled for March 2012 in Thailand.