Nurse shares heartfelt tale of providing relief work in the Philippines

Following the disastrous Typhoon Haiyan, we reported that RNs from the U.S. were traveling to the area to provide much-needed aid. Now one nurse who has made a career traveling to areas struck by disaster has told his local paper the story of what he saw there.

Registered Nurse Rico Selga has been traveling the world for a decade to offer aid to areas hit by natural and human disasters. Selga is originally from the Philippines but moved to the United States in 1990 at the age of 15. He traveled to his home country on November 13 with a medical team – and the things he saw were harrowing.

“When I talked to the locals, everyone is hungry and thirsty,” Selga told The Columbian. “The first few days I was there, there was no clean water and no food. Even if you had money, you could not buy food.”

Selga was primarily in the Samar province and Leyte, two of the areas hardest hit by the storm. While there, he helped dispense medical assistance, water and fuel. Volunteering with Medical Teams International, Selga travels on annual trips abroad to help those in need around the world.

His story of inspiration is just one of the many coming from the devastation left by the storm. But moreover, it’s one of many that emerge from our profession every day, at home and abroad.

Nurses, have you ever traveled abroad to provide aid after a natural disaster? Share your story with us in the comments below.

Source: The Columbian