Jordan Times
Thursday, January 1, 2004
Jordanian field hospital provides round-the-clock medical service in Bam
BAM, Iran (Petra) — Jordan's field hospital in the quake-stricken Iranian town of Bam on Wednesday began providing round-the-clock medical service to earthquake victims, two days after the medical team's arrival on the scene.Hospital Director Mohammad Tarawneh said the fully-equipped hospital, manned by specialists and general practitioners as well as nurses, is conducting all kinds of surgeries, and providing orthopaedic and paediatric services.
The hospital is equipped with X-ray units, a laboratory, blood bank and pharmacy, as well as an intensive care unit, according to Tarawneh.
Jordan was among the first group of countries that set up field hospitals in the quake-stricken area.
Meanwhile, a rescue team from the Civil Defence Department (CDD) on Tuesday joined thousands searching for survivors in the rubble of the Iranian town devastated by the earthquake.
The seven-member team, which includes specialists in search and rescue operations, is armed with the necessary equipment and cameras for searching under the rubble, according to the CDD.
Munther Hammad, the team director, said his team was taking part in rescue operations at the international level for the first time, but its members are well-trained for the job.
Noting that the team's work is coordinated with the Kingdom's field hospital, Hammad said relief aid — including tents, food supplies, heaters, medical equipment, drugs, blankets and food — dispatched to Iran by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation were distributed among survivors by the organisation's representatives and Iranian officials.
Organisation officials said the Kingdom had sent 17 tonnes of the relief supplies to Iran in the past two days.
They said additional shipments of relief supplies would arrive aboard Royal Jordanian Air Force planes directly from Amman in the next few days.