Physicians step forward in response to tsunami disaster

Some doctors give of themselves while others send much-needed funds for rebuilding.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. Jan. 24, 2005.

Sumathy Pathy, MD, a family physician with a solo practice in Bellevue, Wash., has temporarily closed up shop.

In early January, little more than a week after the tsunami in Asia filled news outlets with stories of thousands dead and millions homeless, the doctor traveled to her native country of Sri Lanka to do what she could.

"We needed to take action immediately," said Dr. Pathy.

The journey was far from easy. Because she had to travel on such short notice, she had to hopscotch around the globe before reaching her destination, the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. The medication she carried, gathered from her own and fellow doctors' supplies, nearly pushed her over the 70 lb. luggage limit, and she ran the risk of jeopardizing the viability of her newly opened practice.

"It's not very good to leave a practice, but I have to make this choice," said Dr. Pathy. "They need me."

She's one of many physicians who went to Asia to provide medical aid in the aftermath of a disaster that was almost incomprehensible in its scope.

"This being the greatest disaster of our time, we are going to do our part," said Gary Morsch, MD, MPH, a family physician in Olathe, Kan., and president of Heart to Heart International. "The aftermath is horrendous for the millions of people who are left behind. They're sleeping in the street or under trees, and they don't have clean drinking water. Food's contaminated. It's a huge public health disaster."

Heart to Heart International provides medical volunteers and pharmaceuticals for areas around the world caught in disasters. Dr. Morsch traveled to Asia in early January with dozens of other volunteers and $5 million worth of donated supplies.