Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010) « American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom

Disaster Update: Cholera in Haiti

November 9, 2010

Disaster Update

While Haiti was spared the worst feared impacts of Hurricane Tomas over the weekend, the storm brought heavy rains and flooding to other parts of the country, including the area north of Port-au-Prince that is the center of a serious cholera outbreak.

The Red Cross among other aid organizations is concerned that the outbreak will spread and is therefore continuing large-scale cholera prevention and response activities in the affected region and Port-au-Prince.

Flooding poses a new threat from this water-borne disease and officials from the Haitian Ministry of Health reported on Monday that the number of cholera deaths had risen to 544 over the weekend, with more than 8,000 people hospitalized for the disease. Late Monday, reports surfaced that a new batch of potential cholera cases had surfaced in Port-au-Prince and were being tested. Another reason for a possible spread of cholera is the fact that an untold number of people in the capital and countryside evacuated their homes ahead of the hurricane and moved to other parts of the country.

To combat this epidemic, the Red Cross global network has established a cholera treatment center in Arcahie, northwest of Port-au-Prince, to respond to the growing epidemic that threatens millions of Haitians, and plans two additional cholera treatment centers in other parts of the country.

The Red Cross has been working for months to educate the camp populations about health and good hygiene, and has further ramped up those efforts with the cholera outbreak. Health promotion teams have temporarily doubled in size, to about 200 promoters, and the Red Cross expects to directly reach hundreds of thousands of people with cholera prevention messages within a month.

These face-to-face interactions have been reinforced by millions of text messages sent to about 380,000 cell phone users by the Red Cross network, as well as radio broadcasts.

Photos: Cholera Treatment in Haiti

November 9, 2010

See entire “Cholera Treatment Center” set by American Red Cross on Flickr >>

Leave a Comment » | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010), International Updates, Photos | Tagged: cholera, clinic, haiti, medical, photos, red cross, treatment | Permalink
Posted by amrecro

Video: Red Cross Prepares in Haiti for Tropical Storm Tomas

November 4, 2010

Leave a Comment » | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010), Hurricane Season 2010, International Updates, Videos | Tagged: flooding, haiti, haitian, hurricane, red cross, storm, tomas | Permalink
Posted by amrecro

Press Release: Red Cross Prepares Camps as Tomas Heads for Haiti

November 4, 2010

Red Cross Prepares Camps as Tomas Heads for Haiti

(WASHINGTON) November 4, 2010 – The American Red Cross is making final preparations in Haiti for the arrival of Tropical Storm Tomas, which is expected to inflict heavy winds and rain on the island’s already vulnerable population — including hundreds of thousands of people living under tarps and tents since the earthquake of January 12th.

As of Thursday, November 4, a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch had been issued for Haiti. On the current forecast track, Tomas is expected to approach Haiti on Friday.

The Red Cross is pursuing two types of activities before the arrival of Tomas. The first is disaster preparedness and risk reduction, which means direct work with the vulnerable camp populations. The second involves pre-positioning resources and emergency personnel for a rapid response after the storm.

Knowing that hurricane season was approaching, the American Red Cross has reached tens of thousands of people in 22 camps in recent months with activities such as digging drainage ditches, sandbagging hillsides and clearing evacuation routes. In addition, Red Cross volunteers have provided emergency first aid training, installed early warning systems (flagpoles and bullhorns) and conducted workshops to teach children about what to do when a storm threatens.

We have trained more than 50 vigilance committees in various camps. As of today, they are alerting the camp populations that red flags have been raised, meaning severe weather is imminent.

Press Release: Red Cross Prepares in Haiti as Hurricane Tomas Threatens

November 2, 2010

Red Cross Prepares in Haiti as Hurricane Tomas Threatens

WASHINGTON, Monday, November 01, 2010 – The Red Cross is activating its emergency plans in Haiti, with government officials describing Hurricane Tomas as potentially the gravest hurricane threat to the country since Hurricane Ike in 2008.

As of Monday, November 1, weather forecasters said Tomas could begin to affect Haiti as early as Tuesday, causing heavy rain and strong winds that could affect communities living along the country’s southern coast.

With hundreds of thousands of people living in makeshift camps in and around the capital Port-au-Prince as a result of the January 12th earthquake, Haiti’s population is especially vulnerable to heavy winds and rain.

What the Red Cross is doing to prepare
The Red Cross has been preparing for the threat of a hurricane since February. At present, emergency stocks for 17,000 families are in Haiti and ready to be deployed to disaster-affected communities. Additional supplies for 8,000 families have also been called in from the Red Cross network’s regional logistics hub in Panama.

“We are working closely with the government to ensure that our plans are coordinated,” said Dr. Michaèle Amédée Gédéon, president of the Haitian Red Cross Society.

Ever since the January quake, the Red Cross has been supporting communities to better ready themselves for possible hurricanes and storms. To date, Red Cross volunteers have reached tens of thousands of people living in makeshift camps through disaster preparedness projects. Volunteers have worked with community residents to help them dig drainage ditches, sandbag hillsides and create evacuation routes. In addition, Red Cross volunteers have provided emergency first aid training, and handed out waterproof bags that contain safety messages and can be used to store and protect important documents.

News Release: Cholera Outbreak in Haiti

October 22, 2010

Haiti – The American Red Cross is extremely concerned about an outbreak of cholera in northern Haiti, and is assisting in the rapid response by the Red Cross network. As of Friday morning, there are approximately 1,600 cases and 158 deaths reported following an outbreak of acute diarrhea in the Artibonite and Central Plateau regions of Haiti. This is not an area directly affected by the earthquake of January 12th, but we are concerned about the speed with which this outbreak has spread.

On Friday morning, the Ministry of Health said tests had confirmed the disease outbreak is cholera. Contaminated river water is the suspected source, as most of the cases have occurred in an area stretching from north-central to north-west Haiti along the Artibonite River. The towns of Mirebalais and St Marc have been most severely affected.

The Red Cross network has launched a rapid and coordinated response. On Wednesday, October 20 a Red Cross truck loaded with medical supplies was sent to a hospital in St Marc that is handling many of the cases. These supplies include IV fluids, oral serum, antibiotics, first aid kits, and water filters.

On Friday, October 22, another two trucks are departing Port au Prince carrying 31,000 liters of clean water, chlorine, cholera kits, surgical masks and gloves, aquatabs, as well as large tents and sleeping mats to increase the hospital’s capacity. Teams of Red Cross health and water/sanitation experts are standing by to assist as needed.

The American Red Cross, which is running the largest health promotion effort in the camps of Port-au-Prince, has offered support by making available it health and water/sanitation experts, and has been asked to provide large quantities of chlorine to support the operation of water treatment plants.

As of Thursday, October 21, the Red Cross network began sending SMS text messages to people in the affected region advising them on good hygiene and sanitation practices. Two text messages per day will be sent to the affected region for at least several days.

In an effort to control the spread of disease, the government has also imposed a sanitary cordon around the affected area.

The Red Cross is working closely with the government’s Ministry of Health and Department of Civil Protection to support local health and water systems in response to this outbreak. The Red Cross is also coordinating its response with the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations in Haiti.

Leave a Comment » | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010), International Updates | Tagged: cholera, disaster update, disease, haiti, international, sickness | Permalink
Posted by amrecro

Video: A Conversation with Matt Marek, Deputy Country Representative, Haiti

October 12, 2010

Matt Marek provides an update from the field on some American Red Cross work in Haiti.

Leave a Comment » | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010), International Updates | Tagged: earthquake, haiti, matt marek, red cross, shelter | Permalink
Posted by amrecro

Press Release: American Red Cross Funds Critical Medical Care in Haiti

October 6, 2010

American Red Cross Funds Critical Medical Care in Haiti

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 – The American Red Cross has committed $2.76 million to underwrite operating expenses at Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare Critical Care Trauma and Rehabilitation Program in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, allowing the facility to remain open until the middle of next year.

The hospital operates 24/7 for the general public, providing the only critical care and trauma services for all of Haiti. Funding from this agreement will support essential medical services, including operating expenses, payroll and administrative fees.

“After the catastrophic earthquake in January, we treated tens of thousands of Haitians; and continue today to treat as many critically ill and injured patients as any major metropolitan medical center in the United States,” said Dr. Barth Green, the Co-Founder and President of Project Medishare. “Thanks to the American Red Cross and their generous support, we are now able to continue to provide this crucial medical safety net for the people of Haiti.”

The Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare employs 160 Haitian staff members of which approximately 147 are healthcare professionals. They are joined by more than a dozen full time international staff providing specialized services, including an on-the-job mentoring program.

This one-of-a-kind facility in Haiti offers critical care treatment for adults and children in well-equipped intensive care units and operating rooms supported by a modern medical laboratory and a well-supplied pharmacy as well as advanced imaging technology.

Videos: Haiti Updates

July 12, 2010

Nan Buzard, American Red Cross Senior Director of International Response and Programs, provides an overview of the challenges of providing shelter in Port-au-Prince and also reviews American Red Cross shelter plans in coming months.