Canadian Medical Assistance Team
Encyclopedia
Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT) is a Canadian grassroots
, non profit disaster relief organization based in Brantford, Ontario
, Canada
. Through its medical relief and development projects, CMAT seeks to improve the health and welfare of families both in Canada and in developing countries around the world.
and Saskatchewan
were deployed to Banda Aceh
, Indonesia
to provide medical aid to the victims of the disaster. With lessons learned in Indonesia, CMAT prepared for further deployments.
, with the first team deploying within 10 days of disaster. CMAT’s medical team worked alongside teams from Mercy Malaysia
and collaborated with Canadian consular officials from Jakarta
, Indonesia
and Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia to establish medical stations and administer medical care and first aid to displaced persons in Medan
, Banda Aceh
, and Meuloboh, Indonesia
.
. After three days in the Area of Operations (AOO) and completion of an on-ground tactical assessment, it was determined that CMAT's trauma team of physicians, trauma nurses and flight paramedics should not be deployed to the area. The two-member assessment team cited significant political infighting and substantial lack of command and control structure, which together posed serious problems for logistical support and basic information. At one point, CMAT team members reported that satellite phone communications had been jammed.
known as Azad Kashmir
, near the city of Muzaffarabad
. Occurring at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time, it registered a moment magnitude of 7.6 The disaster destroyed 50% of the buildings in Muzaffarabad
(including most of the official buildings) and is estimated to have killed up to 80,000 people in the Pakistani-controlled areas of Kashmir, alone. The severity of the damage caused by the earthquake is attributed to severe upthrust, coupled with poor construction.
CMAT focused its efforts in northern Pakistan
, initially in Bagh
and Muzaffarabad
areas sending an assessment team from Canada on October 10, consisting of search and rescue
, logistics
and paramedics, as well as an emergency physician. In addition, CMAT's staff in Kabul
, Afghanistan
conducted an assessment in affected areas in eastern Afghanistan.
This initial assessment team was followed by ten rotations of teams every three weeks, the second of which departed on October 21, 2005. The teams initially worked alongside members of the Rotary Club of Islamabad
and Rawalpindi
to deliver emergency medical relief, and assist and support medical staff at hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi which had been deluged with quake victims airlifted from the field. Subsequent teams were stationed in Muzaffarabad
, working out of Abbass hospital, and in collaboration with the US Army's 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
(MASH) Hospital, and in Garhi Dopatta, working with the Canadian Forces
Disaster Assistance Response Team
(DART) Team, and United Nations
Health Cluster.
On November 3, 2005, CMAT announced that it has been awarded over $190,000 in funding for two of its projects as part of the fund matching program through the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA). The funds were sent to support medical teams in Muzzafferabad and other quake devastated areas.
, Nepal
, Bhutan
, Pakistan
and Bangladesh
. News Agencies, citing the Indian and Bangladeshi governments, placed the death toll in excess of 2,000. By 3 August approximately 20 million had been displaced and by 10 August some 30 million people in India
, Bangladesh
and Nepal
had been affected by flooding.
CMAT deployed a 2-member assessment team to Dhaka
, Bangladesh
to meet its local partner on August 18, 2007. According to CMAT assessment team, doctors and nurses were overwhelmed at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
hospital, as over 1800 patients were being seen every 24 hours with acute GI distress, typhoid, skin and eye infections and severe dehydration
with outside temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius.
A four-member member team consisting of advanced care paramedics and a nurse practitioner
were deployed to Bangladesh
, in collaboration with a local partner Fazlullah Foundation, and spent three weeks providing medical relief in Gopalganj District (Bangladesh)
, one of the most flood affected areas in Bangladesh alongside the Bangladesh Auxiliary Services for Social Advancement (BASSA).
CMAT also endorsed the activities of the Dhaka Project - a grassroots humanitarian project started by Ms. Maria Conceicao, a flight attendant for Emirates Airways. Conceicao was so moved by the plight of Dhaka's homelessness and poverty that she spearheaded the Dhaka Project, a program to alleviate homelessness, unemployment and disease through sustainable educational projects, employment training of men and women, nursery programs, and medical clinics. CMAT supported the project with a grant of $8,000 USD.
, China
CMAT deployed their assessment team to the province of Sichuan
in China
, where an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred on May 12, 2008 at approximately 14:00 local time. Reports indicated over 68,000 people died, including many school children trapped in collapsed school buildings.
The assessment team conducted an in-depth assessment of the region, partnering with contacts on the ground, and advised that the Chinese government, military and local Red Cross had done a commendable job in the rescue and recovery effort. With over 100,000 Chinese Military and over 1000 medical staff in the region, the most seriously injured citizens had already been evacuated to larger centres. CMAT's offer of providing medical teams to the area was declined by Government officials, and it was on their advice that CMAT has decided to immediately shift the focus of the relief effort in China. CMAT investigated other projects which were completed with donor funding.
In 2010, CMAT Chair visited the temporary home of the Mianyang
Youxian District Special Education School, and presented a cheque for Y85,000 (approx $12,500 CAD).
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
, non profit disaster relief organization based in Brantford, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Through its medical relief and development projects, CMAT seeks to improve the health and welfare of families both in Canada and in developing countries around the world.
History
Canadian Medical Assistance Teams was established in 2004 in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami as the medical arm of Canadian Relief Foundation. Two teams of paramedics from British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
were deployed to Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
to provide medical aid to the victims of the disaster. With lessons learned in Indonesia, CMAT prepared for further deployments.
Deployments
CMAT has a database of over 1000 health professionals from across Canada, one of its strengths is the ability to be flexible. CMAT is firmly dedicated to building capacity in the communities provided with assistance, and so any project which is initiated will only be in direct partnership with local authorities and with the support, guidance and permission of the host government.2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami was the first time CMAT sent medical teams overseas. Over the course of eight weeks, three Canadian medical teams consisting of paramedics and physicians were deployed to IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, with the first team deploying within 10 days of disaster. CMAT’s medical team worked alongside teams from Mercy Malaysia
Mercy Malaysia
MERCY Malaysia is a non-profit organization focusing on sustainable health related development and risk reduction activities for vulnerable communities in crisis and non-crisis situations...
and collaborated with Canadian consular officials from Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia to establish medical stations and administer medical care and first aid to displaced persons in Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
, Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
, and Meuloboh, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005, the Category 3 storm made landfall in southeast Louisiana. It caused severe destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas, much of it due to the storm surge. CMAT deployed an assessment team to Baton Rouge, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. After three days in the Area of Operations (AOO) and completion of an on-ground tactical assessment, it was determined that CMAT's trauma team of physicians, trauma nurses and flight paramedics should not be deployed to the area. The two-member assessment team cited significant political infighting and substantial lack of command and control structure, which together posed serious problems for logistical support and basic information. At one point, CMAT team members reported that satellite phone communications had been jammed.
2005 Kashmir Earthquake
On October 8, 2005, a major earthquake centred in Pakistan-administered KashmirPakistan-administered Kashmir
Azad Kashmir borders the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west, the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan to the north west, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China to the north and the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, to the east.A...
known as Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...
, near the city of Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...
. Occurring at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time, it registered a moment magnitude of 7.6 The disaster destroyed 50% of the buildings in Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...
(including most of the official buildings) and is estimated to have killed up to 80,000 people in the Pakistani-controlled areas of Kashmir, alone. The severity of the damage caused by the earthquake is attributed to severe upthrust, coupled with poor construction.
CMAT focused its efforts in northern Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, initially in Bagh
Bagh
Bagh is the chief town of Bagh District in Azad KashmirBagh, the district headquarters of district Bagh is 100 Kilometers from Muzaffarabad via Kohallah & 80 Kilometers via Suddhen Gali, 205 Kilometers from Islamabad and 48 kilometers from Rawalakot. This town is situated on the confluence of two...
and Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...
areas sending an assessment team from Canada on October 10, consisting of search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
, logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
and paramedics, as well as an emergency physician. In addition, CMAT's staff in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
conducted an assessment in affected areas in eastern Afghanistan.
This initial assessment team was followed by ten rotations of teams every three weeks, the second of which departed on October 21, 2005. The teams initially worked alongside members of the Rotary Club of Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
and Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
to deliver emergency medical relief, and assist and support medical staff at hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi which had been deluged with quake victims airlifted from the field. Subsequent teams were stationed in Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...
, working out of Abbass hospital, and in collaboration with the US Army's 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
The Mobile Army Surgical Hospital refers to a United States Army medical unit serving as a fully functional hospital in a combat area of operations. The units were first established in August 1945, and were deployed during the Korean War and later conflicts. The U.S...
(MASH) Hospital, and in Garhi Dopatta, working with the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
Disaster Assistance Response Team
Disaster Assistance Response Team
The Disaster Assistance Response Team is a rapidly deployable team of 200 Canadian Forces personnel. It provides assistance to disaster-affected regions for up to 40 days. DART's headquarters is in Kingston, Ontario...
(DART) Team, and United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Health Cluster.
On November 3, 2005, CMAT announced that it has been awarded over $190,000 in funding for two of its projects as part of the fund matching program through the Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
(CIDA). The funds were sent to support medical teams in Muzzafferabad and other quake devastated areas.
2007 South Asian floods
The 2007 South Asian floods were a series of floods in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. News Agencies, citing the Indian and Bangladeshi governments, placed the death toll in excess of 2,000. By 3 August approximately 20 million had been displaced and by 10 August some 30 million people in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
had been affected by flooding.
CMAT deployed a 2-member assessment team to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
to meet its local partner on August 18, 2007. According to CMAT assessment team, doctors and nurses were overwhelmed at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh is an international health research organization located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dedicated to saving lives through research and treatment, ICDDR,B addresses some of the most critical health concerns facing the world today, ranging...
hospital, as over 1800 patients were being seen every 24 hours with acute GI distress, typhoid, skin and eye infections and severe dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
with outside temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius.
A four-member member team consisting of advanced care paramedics and a nurse practitioner
Nurse practitioner
A Nurse Practitioner is an Advanced practice registered nurse who has completed graduate-level education . Additional APRN roles include the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist s, CNMs, and CNSs...
were deployed to Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, in collaboration with a local partner Fazlullah Foundation, and spent three weeks providing medical relief in Gopalganj District (Bangladesh)
Gopalganj District (Bangladesh)
The district of Gopalganj consists 356 mosques, 359 temples, six churches and four tombs.-Places of interest:* Ulpur has a former Zamindar palace which is currently used a Tafsil Office and many other Zamindar mansions. It was the home of the Basu Roy Chowdhury family. Arpara has a zamindar palace...
, one of the most flood affected areas in Bangladesh alongside the Bangladesh Auxiliary Services for Social Advancement (BASSA).
CMAT also endorsed the activities of the Dhaka Project - a grassroots humanitarian project started by Ms. Maria Conceicao, a flight attendant for Emirates Airways. Conceicao was so moved by the plight of Dhaka's homelessness and poverty that she spearheaded the Dhaka Project, a program to alleviate homelessness, unemployment and disease through sustainable educational projects, employment training of men and women, nursery programs, and medical clinics. CMAT supported the project with a grant of $8,000 USD.
2008
2008 Sichuan earthquake2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
CMAT deployed their assessment team to the province of Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred on May 12, 2008 at approximately 14:00 local time. Reports indicated over 68,000 people died, including many school children trapped in collapsed school buildings.
The assessment team conducted an in-depth assessment of the region, partnering with contacts on the ground, and advised that the Chinese government, military and local Red Cross had done a commendable job in the rescue and recovery effort. With over 100,000 Chinese Military and over 1000 medical staff in the region, the most seriously injured citizens had already been evacuated to larger centres. CMAT's offer of providing medical teams to the area was declined by Government officials, and it was on their advice that CMAT has decided to immediately shift the focus of the relief effort in China. CMAT investigated other projects which were completed with donor funding.
In 2010, CMAT Chair visited the temporary home of the Mianyang
Mianyang
Mianyang is the second largest prefecture-level city of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Its administrative area includes the city proper of Mianyang, with 985,586 inhabitants in the built up area , the county-level city of Jiangyou, and six counties, covering an area of over and a population...
Youxian District Special Education School, and presented a cheque for Y85,000 (approx $12,500 CAD).