Readiness of Emergency Medical Teams of Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps for Response to Natural Disasters in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Introduction:

Sri Lanka has been divided into 26 districts. These 26 districts are Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambanthota, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Rathnapura, Kegalle, Badulla, Monaragala, Puttalam and Kurunegala. Ten key natural disasters have been identified in Sri Lanka as important to develop response capacity. These natural disasters are coastal erosion, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, epidemics, floods, forest fires, landslides, lightning and tsunamis. Five battalions of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLAMC) have been established in various parts of Sri Lanka. These battalions are named 1 SLAMC, 2(V) SLAMC, 3 SLAMC, 4 SLAMC and 5 SLAMC. The Army Hospital, Army Base Hospitals (ABH), and Medical Reception Stations have been located in various parts of Sri Lanka

Method:

Each battalion and hospital have Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) for response to disasters. An EMT consists of: one medical officer, two nurses, two nursing assistants and one ambulance with a driver. There are two EMTs in each battalion and each ABH. The Army hospital has three EMTs.

Results:

1 SLAMC is responsible for responding to disasters in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Rathnapura, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Puttalam. 2(V) SLAMC is responsible for responding to disasters in Hambanthota, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Monaragala. 3 SLAMC will respond to disasters in Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu. 4 SLAMC will respond to disasters in Jaffna and Kilinochchi dis. 5 SLAMC is responsible for disasters arising in Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara. When disasters happen in adjacent districts, hospitals will respond to those disasters.

Conclusion:

EMTs will be deployed to the disaster site as soon as possible and do treatments for casualties by staying seven days. The number of EMTs depends on the magnitude of the disaster.