Sathya Sai Baba Organisation has centers in 157 countries world-wide. For administrative purposes, the Organisation is divided into worldwide zones and has regions in those zones. Sri Lanka falls into the same zone as Australia. International relief for the 26 December Tsunami and subsequent earthquakes in the region has followed the Relief Response Pathway. This pathway has three stages, incorporating but not limited to:- immediate aid and assessment; recovery aid, and long term rehabilitation and recovery service.
Medical Items despatched from Sydney to Indonesia
Immediate Aid to Sri Lanka
Aid to Tsunami stricken Sri Lanka was received from a number of sources, and efforts in several cities were coordinated by the Sai Medical Unit. Aid supplies were despatched from Canberra and Sydney.
- Gloves 3 boxes, Needles 3 boxes, Syringes 3 boxes, Medi swabs 4 boxes, cotton wool 2 bags
- 1 carton syringes 5ml, 1 carton needles, 1 carton alcohol swabs, 1 carton clinical waste bags
- 2 Cartons Dressing Packs, 1 carton alcohol swabs, 1 carton 10boxes 1 ml syringes, 1 carton 10 boxes 3 ml syringes, 1 carton 40, 7.5×7.5 gauze swabs,
- 20 boxes 100 Panamax, 3 boxes 1 ml syringes
- 1 carton 6 boxes 3 ml syringes, 4 boxes needles, mixed wound dressing supplies, 6 Dressing packs, 2 suturing packs, 2 aprons, Band-aids, micropore tapes.
- 1 carton 10 boxes gloves. 1 carton mixed medication samples.
- 1 carton swabs, 1 carton medicrepe bandages, 3 boxes 5ml syringes, 3 boxes 3ml syringes, 12 boxes needles, 1 box suture material.
- 4 pallets gloves + Facial masks
Below are photos of despatches of medical supplies to Tsunami ravaged areas.
Article from The Canberra Doctor
December 26, 2004, Boxing Day, for most of us, will be remembered by so many as the day of the Indian Ocean devastating tsunami. Life for so many has changed dramatically.
Dr Chandran, also the National Coordinator for the Sai Medical Unit, the medical arm of Sathya Sai Organisation of Australia and PNG – a multi faith sevice oriented spiritual organisation – called on his colleagues: individual practitioners, pharmacies. hospitals to donate goods to assist in alleviating the impact of the tsunami in his country of origin.
Dr Chandran personally, and through “Canberra Doctor” wishes to thank our local community “for their very generous support and their response which is a reflection of the generous and compassionate nature of Australians”, he said. He is less glowing of certain aiel agencies and institutions which were bureaucratic and lacked a humane approach to his request for help.
Dr Chandran was delighted by the efforts of a young Canberra teenager, Rebekah Heritage, who prevailed upon pharmacies to donate goods for transporting to Sri Lanka.
Her efforts contributed to the over 125 boxes of supplies awaiting shipment. In these boxes arc medications – analgesics, antibiotics and asthma medications as well as dressing packs, antiseptics, needles, syringes, cannulas, some surgical instruments, five autoclaves and eight tonnes of linen. A number of Sri Lankan doctors in the ACT and Bungendore and the ACTDGP participated in this effort. These are currently stored at Dr Chandran’s home and that of fellow Sri Lankan – TCH medical registrar, Dr Pranavan and it is anticipated that they will be uplifted in the next week.
In thanking the local community, Dr Chandran singled out The John James Memorial Hospital, National Capital Diagnostic Imaging, Capital Pathology, anel Calvary Hospital which were generous in their donation of supplies. Rehabilitation is now the issue, said Dr Chandran – re-building life – and the international community will need to continue to support the affected countries to build houses, schools, hospitals etc.
Dr Chandran and orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Chris Roberts leave soon for Sri Lanka with three nurses from the Canberra Hospital and an ophthalmologist from Sydney They will be joined by a team from the UK – Dr Chandran’s ophthalmologist brother and his colleagues (Sai members from the UK), several nurses and a counsellor. Once in Sri Lanka they will work from five different medical camps in the south, east and north of Sri Lanka where the need is greatest.
If you would like to make a donation – please contact Dr Chandran on 6282 4006 or 0403 040 073. (Article courtesy of Canberra Doctor, February 2005 Issue)