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Statement of the MOHW ad hoc group in response to the Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion

  • Data Source:Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Created:2015-07-14
  • Last Updated:2017-01-11

In response to the medical treatment, social welfare care and other relevant needs in the aftermath of the Formosa Fun Coast incident, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) ad hoc group is working continuously today (July 14th) so as to understand and deal with the medical treatment capacity, the supplies of medicines and medical materials, patient referrals, the arrangement and application of domestic medical manpower, the arrangement and utilization of cadaveric skin and artificial skin, and other matters. 

1. Conditions of the arrangement and assistance of medical treatment: 
(1) Medical manpower: 
A total of 1,150 personnel have registered on the EOC (Emergency Operation Center) Support Staff Integration Platform, including 78 physicians, 1,005 nursing personnel (17 people have nursing experience in burn care, and 82 people have nursing experience in critical care), and 67 other personnel. At present, there is a decline in the daily application for medical manpower support. Only 1 hospital required 6 personnel for support on July 13. According to the present statistics of support personnel, a total of 69 ex-serving or retired personnel have been recruited by each hospital, 375 personnel have been arranged from hospital internal staff, and 15 support personnel have been successfully matched by the help of the EOC Support Staff Integration Platform. The newly employed nursing personnel will gradually arrive in hospitals from this week to help with the arrangement and application of medical manpower. A total of 28 physicians have been requested by 12 hospitals. 11 physicians have been successfully matched by the EOC Support Staff Integration Platform, and 19 physicians were matched by each hospital. At present, there are no requirements for physicians in the hospitals where the victims of this incident have been admitted (because some physicians can only offer part-time support, the EOC has actively provided an extra 3 physicians in order to replenish manpower application). 
(2) Hospital beds: 
There are 1,006 beds available in intensive care units and 43 beds available in burn intensive care units. The EOC has helped referral arrangements for 32 cases, and all of these cases have been completed. 
(3) The MOHW Medical Advisory Group has provided professional advice and help for a total of 92 people in 20 events, and has visited 52 patients in 7 hospitals (4 hospitals in the Taipei area, 2 hospitals in Northern Taiwan, and 1 hospital in Central Taiwan) in order to offer medical care consultation and encouragement. 

2. As of July 13, the 1957 social welfare counseling hotline had received 981 calls, and the voluntary care service units had dispatched social workers 2,355 times to console 10,293 people. The MOHW is continuously providing voluntary care and counseling services, has set up a cross-unit, cross-city and county, case-based referral mechanism in order to ensure the continuance of care services and has developed the “One-person, One-case Long-term Escort” ad hoc group for cooperation with the above mentioned care services. 

3. Arrangement and utilization conditions of medicines and medical materials: 
(1) Cadaveric skin with a total area of 700,000 cm2 has been purchased from abroad in the first phase, including 410,800 cm2 that has been imported into Taiwan, and a further 289,200 cm2 will be imported into Taiwan during this week. Furthermore, 312,700 cm2 has been delivered to 27 hospitals, and the utilization of 194,500 cm2 has been reported. The utilization rate of cadaveric skin is reported to be 62.2%. 
(2) The stocks of burn ointments, albumin, medical dressings, gauze, cotton pads, bandages, and other medical materials required for burn treatment in hospitals and from suppliers can provide hospital utilization for more than 50 days. If the stocks are less than a 15-day supply, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the MOHW will immediately request the suppliers to expand production more quickly, or start an ad hoc group to import medical materials to replenish the stocks. 

4. Conditions of hospitalization and treatment for the victims of the Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion: 
As of 12:00 p.m. on July 14, a total of 389 people continued to receive inpatient treatment in hospitals. Of the hospitalized victims, 259 people were in intensive care units, 205 people were in critical condition, and 5 people have passed away. They were treated in 43 hospitals in 13 cities and counties, namely: Keelung City, Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Taichung City, Kaohsiung City, Tainan City, Changhua County, Chiayi County, Chiayi City, Hualien County, and Yilan County. At present, 7 people are receiving hemodialysis treatment, and 2 people are being supported with extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). According to the analysis of existing data, the average percentage of burned body surface area for the victims in this incident is about 44%. There are 248 people with burns over 40% of the total body surface area (TBSA), and 21 of them have burns over 80% of the TBSA. 

For any relevant information about the supplies of medicines and medical materials, the hospitalization and treatment of victims, social welfare resources, and other matters, please search the “Information Section for the 0627 Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion” at http://www.mohw.gov.tw/CHT/blast/ on the MOHW official website.