CHINA
MSF-B
Flood relief
Drinking water supply
Hospital Rehabilitation
1996-1997
MSF embarked into a flood relief in a country where rivers are
larger than life. The team had a lot of difficulties to identify its priorities.
Very large areas and very large resources from the Chinese side were involved.
The MSF specific advantages did not find their best terrain.
The small MSF team had a hard task of supporting a county
hospital and establishing a drinking water supply in remote villages. The
hospital had to be rehabilitated (new roof, sanitairies, plastering...) which
was completed. The establishment of a Sanitary Information System had advance
and the pumping station was close to completion before my departure.
The Yangtse River overtook its banks because of the deep frost
in its estuary. As large areas of cultivated land are below the river bed, the
floods spread quickly and the frost transformed the landscape in the largest ice
skatting ground I had ever seen. The area where MSF was
asked to support the intervention of the local Red Cross was far more adapted to
its real expertise. The population was very poor but a substantial targeting was
required to reach the most vulnerable. The Chinese had some rice but no high
protein complement so MSF provide it. The problem of contamination of water
sources was quite efficiently reduce by the rapid dispatch of chlorine. The
experience was very interesting as the concept of targeting the most vulnerable
was not very familiar to the local approach of relief for all. The idea of
expensive high protein biscuits had to be discussed in length before being fully
accepted.
Albert Grela - Agriculture, M&E, Irrigation
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