2017 Bangladesh landslides: Physical rehabilitation perspective

Abstract

This report characterizes traumatic rehabilitation injuries due to the 2017 Bangladesh landslides. Emergency care for rehabilitation conditions provided by field respondents, at receiving community treatment centers, district and at regional hospital(s) is described. Recommendations to improve rehabilitative care in future landslides are provided. Landslides are triggered by external processes including earthquakes, rainstorms, and slope disturbance by humans. Humans are highly vulnerable to the high energy forces of sliding earth and debris which can result in severe traumatic physical injury and death. Landslides triggered by torrential seasonal monsoon rain began early June 2017 and severely affected 42,000 persons in several hilly and coastal districts of Bangladesh. An electronic literature search was performed to identify relevant articles on landslides in Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, and other developing countries. Reports from government and non-governmental sources including relevant hospital admissions data were obtained and analyzed. Information was also obtained through personal communications with local health and emergency management officials and from local and international media sources The 2017 Bangladesh landslides resulted in 172 deaths and 11 missing persons. Thousands of persons received first aid from responding medical teams. Of the 194 persons admitted to district hospitals for severe injuries, 33.50% of injuries treated were musculoskeletal conditions. Twelve (12) persons with critical injuries including long bone fracture, spinal injury, and head injury were referred to a regional tertiary hospital for management by neurology, orthopedic surgery, physical Rehabilitation medicine and psychiatry specialists. Landslides can result in severe traumatic injuries. Rehabilitative treatment with involvement of physiatrists should be provided at all levels of emergency care. Specialized rehabilitation response teams should be employed in landslides and other severe natural disasters in Bangladesh.