Israel sends humanitarian response unit to stem Samoan measles crisis
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Israel sends humanitarian response unit to Samoa

  •   Israel sends humanitarian response unit to stem Samoan measles crisis
  • 12/8/2019
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    ​The emergency deployment of Israeli doctors and nurses came after Samoan authorities informed WHO that the sheer number of patients requiring high dependency and intensive care treatment, has overwhelmed the capacity of Samoa's hospital wards and staff.
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    Sheba Medical Center's Israel Center for Disaster Medicine & Humanitarian Response team at Ben-Gurion Airport Sheba Medical Center's Israel Center for Disaster Medicine & Humanitarian Response team at Ben-Gurion Airport Copyright: Sheba Medical Center
     
     

  • Israel sends humanitarian response unit to stem Samoan measles crisis

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    ​​(Communicated by the Sheba Medical Center Spokesperson)
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    ​A team of medical experts from Israel’s Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer is currently enroute to Samoa following an urgent request from the World Health Organization (WHO), as the tiny Pacific island nation battles a deadly outbreak of measles, which has killed nearly 70 people, including many children and pregnant women.
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    ​The emergency deployment of doctors and nurses from Sheba's Israel Center for Disaster Medicine & Humanitarian Response​ unit, which is led by Prof. Elhanan Bar-On, came after Samoan authorities informed WHO that the sheer number of patients requiring high dependency and intensive care treatment, has overwhelmed the capacity of Samoa's hospital wards and staff.
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    Sheba's medical team to Samoa will be led by Dr. Itai Pessach, the head of Sheba's Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital and Assaf Luttinger, RN, who is the Deputy Director of Sheba's Israel Center for Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Response unit.

    "In this particular mission, we will not need to deploy our field hospital or need to bring measles inoculations to Samoa. Because the Samoan healthcare system has been simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases, we have been asked to bring hands and heads to the affected areas," said Prof. Elhanan Bar-On. “Once our team lands in the capital city of Apia on Monday, they will be deployed to Tupua Tamaese Meaole Hospital where they can be of the most assistance and help save lives." The Sheba team will be in Samoa for two weeks.

    Just prior to takeoff last night at Ben-Gurion Airport, Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, Dir. Gen. of Sheba Medical Center, told the team, "Our goal is to help the people of Samoa and represent the State of Israel. This is part of Sheba's global impact, where we have a role to play in the world extending a hand to anyone in need. We are privileged to extend assistance to the people of Samoa. I'm proud of all of you, as you embark on this important mission."