The ISN’s Renal Disaster Relief Task Force (RDRTF) provides essential medical care to people in the wake of natural disasters. The Task Force consists of a worldwide network of experts in managing patients with acute renal failure. It was created after the severe earthquake in Armenia in 1988 to provide future renal aid in action wherever needed around the globe.  The Task Force works in close collaboration with M?decins sans Fronti?res.

RDRTF Coordination Center

Coordinator: Raymond Vanholder (Belgium)

General e-mail:
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Secretary: Chantal Bergen

Nephrology Section 0K12A,

University Hospital Ghent

De Pintelaan 185,

BE- 9000 Gent, Belgium

Tel  +32 9 332 4522, Fax  +32 9 332 4599

 International Steering Committee (January 2008 – January 2011)

Cusumano Ana Maria MD  Escudero Elizabeth MD  Harris David  MD PhD  Hooi lai  Seong  MD PhD  Hurtado  Abdias  MD PhD  Jha Vivekanand  MD PhD  Lameire Norbert  MD PhD  Li  Philip MD PhD  Lombardi Raul MD

Luyckx Valerie MD  Mehta  Ravindra  MD PhD  Prasanto Heru MD PhD  Sever Mehmet Sukru MD PhD  Van der Tol  Arjan  MD  Vanholder Raymond MD PhD Chairman ISN/RDRTF  Younes  Ibrahim   Md PhD   Yu Luis MD PhD

 

Volunteers

The RDRTF regularly recruits volunteers. These include nephrologists, intensivists, renal nurses and dialysis technicians. For further information, contact the Coordination Centre:
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. 

Download the Task Description for Volunteers

Major interventions

The Task Force has recently offered crucial assistance in the aftermath of the below disasters: 

2009 – September: Sumatra-Padang earthquake
A severe earthquake struck Western Sumatra, Indonesia, on September 30, 2009, shortly after an eartquake and tsunami in the Samoa Islands. Experts from the ISN-RDRTF went to  Sumatra on October 1st, 2009 to evaluate support and needs as part of a broader team of M?decins sans Fronti?res (MSF).

2009 – April: l’Aquila, Italy earthquake
The ISN Renal Disaster Relief Task Force (RDRTF) was in continuous contact with several Italian physicians and sent recommendations on the practical approach of crush to the local physicians.

2008 – May: Sichuan- Chengdu, China earthquake
RDRTF assesors we sent to Chengu where materials were purchased by M?decins Sans Fronti?res (MSF) and were distributed. Other materials were made available by the Hong Kong Society of Nephrology. 

2007 – August: Earthquake in Peru
In an immediate response to the dreadful Peru quake the RDRTF sent a volunteer, S. Claus, to join the MSF assessment team for a one week intervention.

2006 – July: Israelo-Lebanese War
The RDRTF teamed up once more with MSF colleagues to bring aid, supplies and relief to Lebanon within just three days of the initial alert.

2006 – May: Earthquake in Indonesia
Following the devastating earthquake that hit Indonesia on May 26, 2006, Task Force members  underwent a 10 day intervention which consisted of the extensive screening of more than 1,000 hospitalized victims, as well as providing education on the identification and treatment of crush syndrome and acute renal failure.

2005 – October: Earthquake in Pakistan
In collaboration with colleagues from M?decins Sans Fronti?res (MSF), Task Force members were on the ground in Islamabad within days of the quake. The mission marked over two weeks of ISN intervention and relief work.

2003 – December: Earthquake in Iran
After the earthquake in Bam, 140 patients needed dialysis and were evacuated, first to the nearby city of Kerman and if necessary further away by air-bridge.

2003 – May: Earthquake in Algeria

1999 – August: Marmara Earthquake
After this major earthquake, close to 500 patients needed dialysis. Six doctors and more than 30 nurses were active over an entire month to help their Turkish colleagues. Furthermore, material help was offered by providing 5 hemodialysis machines and several thousands of dialysers.

Educational Material

The following education material is available for download:

Logistic Coordination in Renal Disasters
Crush Syndrome Following Disasters
RDRTF Crush Patients Clinical Follow-up Chart
RDRTF Crush Patients Questionnaire
RDRTF Crush Patients Flow Statistics

Links

M?decins Sans Fronti?res: http://www.msf.org/
ORPADT (Dutch website): http://www.orpadt.be/index.php
AFIDTN: http://www.afidtn.com