This document discusses strategic medical relief in disasters. It outlines that natural and man-made disasters are increasing due to modernization outpacing environmental protections. Rapid technology now enables precise search and rescue of victims and on-site medical treatment. Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps has provided emergency aid in refugee camps, post-war countries, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Medical conditions in disasters generally occur in four phases - hyperacute, acute, subacute, and chronic - each requiring different medical expertise. The most crucial initial step is timely data collection, assessment, and response to aid victims effectively within each phase.

1. Strategic Projection of Medical Relief in Event of Disasters
Dr. Yu-tai Chang
Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps; Department of Emergency, Taipei City
United Hospital He-Ping Branch
In recent years, the advancement of technology has simultaneously increased
man’s desire for modernization in every aspect; but the afflictions of
modernization has out-paced the preventive and counteractive measures
needed to protect the environment. Consequently, the occurrence of natural
and man-induced disasters becomes more frequent in all parts of the world.
In the past, due to limited availability of transportation and resources, we
could but only grieve at the information received from media coverage.
However, rapid technological development in recent years has enabled more
precise and immediate search of disaster victims, as well as provision of on-
site medical treatment to those victims, and subsequently mobilized global
capacity for immediate rescue and medical aid, thus gaining greater foothold
in the role international assistance. In September 1999, Taiwan Root Medical
Peace Corps (TRMPC) first began its international medical aid operations in
refugee camps in Macedonia, and has since provided emergent medical
assistance in other countries in crisis such as post-war Liberia, Sumatra
earthquake-devastated Indonesia, and tsunami-ravaged Sri Lanka. In April
2007, TRMPC participated in a conference hosted by the Japanese Society of
Surgery in which experiences and ideas were shared on events such as the
earthquake in Kobe in 1995, the flood disaster in Fukuoka in 1999, and the
Amagasaki rail crash in 2005.
In the occurrence of a disaster, medical conditions can generally be identified
and take place in 4 phases in the following order with the type of medical
expertise required: 1) hyperacute (general surgery), 2) acute (internal
medicine), 3) subacute (internal medicine) and, 4) chronic (psychiatry). In all
of the identified phases, the first and most crucial principal lies in pinpointing
the actions necessary for timely data collection, assessment and execution of
medical assistance. Failure to accomplish the actions within the effective time
period results in inefficacious results and over/under-allocation of resources to
stricken areas. An example of asymmetrical resource distribution can be
demonstrated by the tsunami disaster that devastated South Asia in 2004
where most rescue and relief organizations were concentrated in Thailand,
Indonesia and south-eastern region of Sri Lanka, but not eastern Sri Lanka

2. where aid was also urgently needed.
TRMPC started its first medical aid expeditions within far-reaching regions of
Taiwan during the summer of 1996, and international medical aid expeditions
in September 1999. With much experience in the provision of medical aid and
participation in disaster relief, as well as long-term exchange with other
organizations and experts, the following conclusion can be drawn: the
hyperacute phase takes place during the first three days after the occurrence
of a disaster, and requires the expertise of general surgeon, the acute and the
subacute phases occur within a week and two to three weeks, respectively,
and requires the support of physicians, and chronic phase usually takes place
at least three weeks after the strike of a disaster, requiring the attention of
psychiatrists.