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Brussels 23/5/2008 - Handicap International is working as fast as it can to expand its emergency aid operations in Chengdu, the capital of the Chinese province of Sichuan, which was stricken by the earthquake. Because Handicap International was already on location before the earthquake, it got to work immediately after the disaster. Yesterday evening Eric Weerts arrived in Chengdu. Eric is a Handicap International employee specialised in spinal cord injuries. Vincent Slypen, Director of Operations of the Belgian branch of Handicap International, is leaving Brussels today to provide additional support to the team in China.
The organisation has been working in reference hospitals in Chengdu since Tuesday, May 13th. Handicap International reinforces local medical teams in the two largest reference hospitals in the disaster area with specialists in post-traumatic rehabilitation, spinal cord injuries and head wounds.
Eric Weerts has worked for Handicap International in Vietnam for several years. The organisation opened Vietnam's first paraplegic centre with a strong focus on education. The organisation has lots of experience training medical personnel and advising them about the importance of rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord injuries. The knowledge of this specialised physiotherapist is crucial for the rehabilitation of a large number of wounded people in the disaster area. "Patients with spinal cord injuries often die from complications after surgery because they lack specialised follow up", said Eric Weerts at the start of his assignment in Chengdu.
Telephone interviews with Eric Weerts are possible upon appointment (Dutch, French, and English).
In the short term, Handicap International is searching for additional financing in order to send more medical equipment and personnel to China. You can support Handicap International by depositing funds on account number 000-0000077-77 (Handicap International Banque de la Poste 1000 Brussels swift code/BIC : BPOTBEB1 n° compte : 000-0000077-77 IBAN code: BE80 0000 0000 7777 ). More information: www.handicap-international.be
Contact
Jeroen Van Hove, Communications Officer T: +32 2 286 52 62 M: +32 484 36 81 62 jeroen.vanhove AT handicap.be
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Police and soldiers guard the entrance to the earthquake-destroyed Juyuan Middle school in Juyuan, Sichuan province June 4, 2008. At least two of the main reported schools that were open and ...
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