GERMANY: German aid organisation Humedica leaves for Japan with medication for 3,000 people

Record ID: 464303

  • Title: GERMANY: German aid organisation Humedica leaves for Japan with medication for 3,000 people
  • Date: 12th March 2011
  • Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (MARCH 11, 2011) (REUTERS) CARD BOARD BOXES NEXT TO TRAILER READING "HUMEDICA" AT MUNICH AIRPORT STICKER ON BOX READING "WOUND CARE KIT" AID WORKER NEAR TRAILER 'HUMEDICA' STICKER ON BOX VARIOUS OF "HUMEDICA" MANAGER WOLFGANG GROSS PUSHING BAGGAGE TROLLEY WITH CARD BOARD BOXES VARIOUS OF "HUMEDICA" COORDINATOR RUTH BUECKLER SORTING DOCUMENTS BUECKLER'S MOBILE PHONE AND GERMAN PASSPORT IN HER HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (German) "HUMEDICA" COORDINATOR, RUTH BUECKLER, SAYING: "Humedica is a medical emergency and catastrophe organisation. We are taking off with doctors and nurses as well as medication for the first 3,000 patients: anti-biotics, medication against stomach bugs, drip feeds for heavily dehydrated people and surgical equipment. With all this we will travel to remote places or wherever authorities tell us that help is needed to treat people." LABEL READING "GERMAN HUMANITARIAN AID" BOXES ON TROLLEYS "HUMEDICA" MANAGER WOLFGANG GROSS NEXT TO BOX WITH AUDIO EQUIPMENT (SOUNDBITE) (German) "HUMEDICA" MANAGER, WOLFGANG GROSS, SAYING: "We need to be prepared that the entire communications possibilities are broken down, all the way to the mobile phone network and land lines. Currently we can hardly reach Tokyo, either because too many people are making phone calls or because of the power outage. We have satellIte phones with us which cover the entire world and with which we can reach our crews at all times." HUMEDICA MEMBER PUSHING PAST TROLLEY LUGGAGE ON TROLLEY BOXES BEING LOADED ONTO CONVEYOR BELT AT AIRPORT CHECK-IN COUNTER WIDE OF COUNTERS DEPARTURES BOARD "TOKYO" ON DEPARTURES BOARD
  • Embargoed: 27th March 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVABOSMN9PG39ED4O29BJJ9PTD2
  • Story Text: The first aid workers of organisation "Humedica International" from Germany leave for Japan with medication for up to 3,000 people affected by the large earthquake.
    A first group of German aid workers left for Japan on Friday (March 11) to assist with any medical help need after a devastating tsunami triggered by the biggest earthquake on record which killed at least 1,000 people and injured many others.
    The small team of Bavarian-based "Humedica International" departed from Munich airport, taking with them medication for "the first 3,000 patients," according to one aid worker.
    "Humedica is a medical emergency and catastrophe organisation," said coordinator Ruth Bueckler as her team mates were unloading boxes.
    "We are taking off with doctors and nurses as well as medication for the first 3,000 patients: anti-biotics, medication against stomach bugs, drip feeds for heavily dehydrated people and surgical equipment.' Bueckler said that with the equipment, "we will travel to remote places or wherever authorities tell us that help is needed to treat people."
    The organisation's manager, Wolfgang Gross added "we need to be prepared that the entire communications possibilities are broken down, all the way to the mobile phone network and land lines."
    Gross said they would take satellite phones with them "with which we can reach our crews at all times."
    Thousands of residents were evacuated from an area around a nuclear plant north of Tokyo after fears of a radiation leak, but officials said problems with the reactor's cooling system were not at a critical level.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register