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Stamford, Conn. –Aug. 26, 2021 – An Americares airlift carrying 12 tons of critically needed medicines and relief items arrived in Haiti today to support local health providers treating earthquake survivors. The chartered plane landed in Port-au-Prince this afternoon carrying wound care supplies, personal protective equipment, cardiovascular medication and medical supplies valued at over $6 million.
Americares, the health-focused relief organization, is working with longtime partner organization Hope for Haiti to transport the supplies to health care providers in southwestern Haiti. Products will be distributed to Hope for Haiti’s mobile medical teams providing outreach in rural communities as well as more than 30 partner health facilities in earthquake-affected communities, including the main hospital in Jeremie.
The 7.2-magnitude earthquake on August 14 killed more than 2,200 people, left more than 12,000 injured and destroyed tens of thousands of homes. An estimated 650,000 people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance—about 40 percent of the population in the affected areas, according to the Pan American Health Organization. Fifty nine health facilities have been reported damaged—including 27 severely damaged.
“There are some rural areas where survivors still have not received medical attention so we are working to move supplies and medical professionals into those hard-to-reach areas,” said Julie Hard, Americares emergency response team leader in Haiti. “We are also seriously concerned about the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, and are providing gloves, masks and face shields to protect health workers.”
Today’s airlift is Americares third major shipment for the earthquake and additional deliveries are planned in the coming days. At the same time, Americares is mobilizing Haitian medical professionals to staff medical teams in the Sud and Grand’Anse departments.
Americares has worked in Haiti since the 1980s, supporting health centers and local organizations with donated medicine and medical supplies both in response to emergencies and ongoing needs. Over the years, Americares has responded to the 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake, Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic in Haiti.
Americares responds to more than 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $19 billion in aid to 164 countries.
Donations to Americares Haiti 2021 Earthquake Relief Fund will support its response to the crisis. To make a donation, go to www.americares.org/HaitiEarthquakeFund
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