THE 99 MARMARA EARTHQUAKE AND AFTERWARDS Specialist Doctor Ayse Emel ÖNAL, Prof. Dr. Yakut Irmak ÖZDEN Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Departement of Public Health- TURKEY

 On 17th August 99 Turkey's Marmara Region was shaked by an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 as measured on the Richter scale.  The outcome was frightful:  deaths,  wounded and  homeless.

 This earthquake gave rise to a multitude of serious public health problems such as :  difficulties in the provision of safe water,  sewage problems,  housing difficulties,  those related to the collection of wastage.

 There was no mobile hospital and  no burn center and no trauma center,  The number of hospital beds,  and that of health personel were not sufficient to meet the needs,  Intensive care,  and hemodialysis services,  as well as the supply of blood were quite inadequate.

 Due to the lack of personnel in the primary health centers, basic needs such as:  immunization,  mother and child health,  the examination of patients and  laboratory analyses could not be met acceptably.  There were also difficulties in the inhumation of deceased people.

 On the other hand, the earthquake triggered a number of serious environmental risks:  A series of explosions happening at TUPRAŞ ( petroleum factory ) just after the earthquake caused very serious damage also.

 6500 tons of acrylonitrile r a n out of the AKSA acrylic factory and got into the sea and the soil.

 Period of rehabilitation and restoration began after the earthquake:  Settlement of homeless people in transitory homes and accelerated construction of new houses for them,

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 reopening of schools,  and workplaces,  and providing psychological help and support to the survivors.

Rehabilitation study in Halkalı Agriculture School – Küçükçekmece ÇYDD, İstanbul, August 1999

  I correspond with scientists in public health area with frequently  I got acquainted with this supercourse in 2001, after the Congress of Epidemiology, Toronto, Canada  I have been interested in Prof. Ron LaPorte’s mail and our communication with the supercourse team began in this way....