Cebu, Philippines - MER-C surgical team, led by Dr. Abdul Mughni SpB KBD, which was departed to Cebu, Philippines on Friday night (22/11), has arrived safely at Mactan Cebu airport on the following day, Saturday (23/11), 11.30 am local time. At Cebu, the team has been directly coordinated with local Health Management Center in order to manage some clearance and to map out disaster locations that were considered urgent. After receiving information, all team members drove to North Cebu, on the Municipality of Medellin that has been hit by Haiyan typhoon on November 8-9, 2013. The team also visited Bogo-Medellin Medical Center, a local regional hospital that is appeared to experience damage in some parts due to the typhoon disaster.

After coordinating to the Chief and Staffs of local hospital as well as evaluating medical needs, MER-C team decided to provide first aid in the region. The team stayed one night on that day in one laboratory that has been prepared by the hospital staffs, to unwind after day and night travel to the location.

The following day, Sunday (24/11), to streamline time and work, dr Abdul Mughni as the Chief, divided his 9 team members into 2, they are Surgical team and Mobile Clinic Team. The surgical team would focus on traumatic patients at the hospital, meanwhile Mobile Clinic team would in charge on taking a look alongside North Cebu region that has been hit by Haiyan typhoon.  

Since Sunday morning, Dr. Abdul Mughni, SpB KBD, dr. Dany Kurniadi, SpBS, dr. Nurul Qomaruzzaman, SpOT and Ita Muswita (surgery nurse) have directly treated both hospitalized patients and outpatients at Emergency room of the hospital. On that day, a surgery has also been conducted to one patient who suffered from left wrist fracture case (Radius Ulna). Despite lack of medical equipment, -without any cauterized electric appliance-, the surgery was successfully completed during one and half hour of time.

The mobile clinic team was also quite hectic in providing medical treatment to the victims, as well as surgical team in the hospital. The team was greeted with great enthusiasm by victims of typhoon, mainly local people in Barangay Kawit. The damage caused by the typhoon were appeared alongside the region. Despite their houses and residential buildings have been swept away by the typhoon, they did not intend to evacuate themselves. They built tents next to the houses' ruins and remains instead.

Located in Kawit Barangay Hall about an hour Bogo Medellin Medical Center, the Mobile team consisting of 2 general practitioners, 1 nurse and 2 non-medical staffs had treated one by one local people that came for help. Medicine that has been given by the team was those which had been brought from Indonesia, from the donations of its people.

Despite the crowds, local people seemed to be quite patient and make a queue in order to get medical treatment.

The team is scheduled to stay one more day at Bogo-Medellin Medical Center before moving to other disaster regions. This is due to more victims that still need surgical treatment, as they are suffering from low-wrist fractures and necrotic wound debridemant.