Dr. Nancy Snyderman speaks with members of the Israeli Defense Force who established an emergency response center in Bogo, a small village on the Northern island of Mactan.

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MACTAN, Philippines — I’ve always been fascinated by how well the Israeli Defense Force, otherwise known as the IDF, delivers emergency response medical care in extremely poor conditions.  My first experience with the IDF was in Haiti after the devastation of the earthquake there. They were remarkable then, triaging and treating patients in the midst of the devastation.

I wondered if they had found their way here — so we set off to find them. And when we did, it was in a place we least expected.

The IDF had selected Bogo, a small village on the northern island of Mactan, to establish its emergency response center. Bogo had been hard hit by the devastation but it hadn’t attracted as much attention as other towns.  It was definitely off the beaten path.

I knew we had found the IDF medical team as soon as we arrived at the hospital where they were working.  A fence surrounded the grounds; soldiers were stationed at the entry and sharp shooters were visible from rooftops.  Security is of paramount importance to the Israelis and they will survey potential sites for days to before one is selected.

As we walked up to the tent where incoming patients were being processed, I immediately saw the electronic medical records technology that I had first seen in Haiti.   Each patient’s medical record is created using a photograph to ensure accurate identification. This is especially important in these types of crisis situations. Language barriers, loss of documentation and the fact that patients have arrived from all over would result in a nightmare if the patients weren’t properly identified.

Smart. Sophisticated. Secure. This was what I had experienced with the IDF before.  But now I was impressed with something else: the place they had selected. This wasn’t a site where trauma surgeons were needed — those injuries in other towns were being addressed.  What the people of Bogo needed was good, solid medical care.  They were already living in poverty when the typhoon decimated their fragile infrastructure.

I asked the IDF Surgeon General in charge why they chose Bogo.  He said it was because they were poor and their needs were great. As I left, I walked away in awe of this group of doctors: physician humanitarians, and medicine at its very best.

A Soldier’s First-Person Account of Devastation & Hope in the Philippines

Below is a first-person account of one of the soldiers taking part in the IDF’s rescue delegation to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.

For live updates on the rescue mission click here

Our journey to the Philippines began as we found ourselves in the Ben Gurion International Airport, awaiting for instructions and prepared to board a plane with more than 100 tons of equipment. We were a diverse group – 148 officers and soldiers, doctors, nurses, lab technicians, psychiatrists, social psychologists, search and rescue workers, etc.

IDF delegation for the Philippines at Ben Gurion Airport

After 12 long hours crossing the universe, we arrived in Cebu. As we stepped off the plane, we quickly came to understand one of the serious challenges we would be facing in the Philippines – unprecedented heat. We landed in an airstrip and were surrounded by hundreds of boxes of foreign aid. We were immediately welcomed by dozens of the local residents, excited to greet us in our first moments in the Philippines. We boarded buses for a 4-hour drive north to Bogo City, a city deeply impacted by Typhoon Haiyan.

Despite our exhaustion, we couldn’t help but be enthralled by the beauty of the countryside. We reached Bogo City on Thursday night and spent our first night in the local sports complex as we experienced our first rain in the Philippines through the open sky under which we slept (the roof of the complex was destroyed in the typhoon). There was a clear feeling of excitement – the desire to get to work as soon as possible. Members of the delegation spent the evening playing guitars and singing, already building strong bonds.

Flags standing side by side

The day was filled with major milestones – admitting the first patient, as well as the birth of the first baby, aptly named “Israel.” Lt. Col. Dr. Ofer Merin, the medical manager of the hospital, kept mentioning the importance of what we were doing, stating “we are here to answer the call for help.” I had the privilege of being in the delivery room minutes after Israel was born and what was felt in that room was truly the essence of hope – the feeling that after such a horrific experience, life, and especially new life, continues.

IDF doctors with newborn baby “Israel”

It was in moments like these in which the IDF delegation’s true nature was shown – its commitment to helping, without any desire or need for a thank you. The overall feeling here is one of persistence and commitment to a cause – to do whatever is needed to help the people in need.

IDF pediatric specialist, Col. Dr. Albukirk, on the job

Written by IDF officer, Lt. Libby Weiss

See also Israeli Hospital in Philippines Treats Hundreds a Day – Mitch Ginsburg (Times of Israel)
The Israeli field hospital on the island of Cebu in the Philippines has become the central medical facility for a population of 250,000 and is treating 300 patients per day, Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Ofer Merin, who otherwise serves as deputy director of Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, said Sunday.
The staff have treated over 710 people thus far, the bulk of them suffering from injuries sustained in the typhoon. 12 babies have been born in the field hospital.
“We all know that when there is a disaster – wherever it happens in the world – everyone is ready to drop everything and come and assist wherever we are needed,” Merin said.
The unit trains precisely for such scenarios and has had extensive experience, most recently in Haiti in 2010 and Japan in 2011.