AmeriCares Responds With More Support As Cholera rapidly Spreads in Haiti

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By JohnPosted In: AmeriCaresTagged: , , ,

Deadly-Cholera-OutbreakAmeriCares, with its crew on the ground providing medical services since cholera struck, is preparing more emergency shipments of medicines to Haiti. These will be sent by both air and water, to fight the deadly disease which is spreading rapidly and has now reached Port-au-Prince, the capital city.

In order to halt the spread of cholera, AmeriCares is also sending a water purification shipment of two million sachets to purify 5.5 million gallons of water. This can provide 20,000 families with safe drinking water for several weeks.

Christoph Gorder, senior vice president of global programs for AmeriCares said “Now that cholera cases are being reported in Port-au-Prince, the outbreak could easily spread to the earthquake survivor camps where more than a million people are still homeless.”  “With little natural immunity to cholera, Haitians have a high risk of serious illness and death.”

AmeriCaresHelps Disaster Victims Around The World

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AmeriCares is a disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which gives immediate response to emergency medical needs. It also supports long-term health care projects for people in the United States and around the world.

One of the projects AmeriCares has been focusing on is  helping victims and refugees from the Darfur conflict. After the expulsion of aid organizations from Darfur, Sudan in March 2009, a massive group of refugees fled for safety to the neighboring country Chad. Families searched everywhere for water and food. They had no medical supplies or care.

In response to this continuing humanitarian crisis, AmeriCares continues its long-standing commitment to Darfur refugees and continues to deliver emergency aid valued at $800,000 per airlift. Americares’ supplies hospitals and clinics serving Darfur refugees in Chad desperately needed medical supplies.

The airlifts contain lifesaving medical supplies, including antibiotics and medicines to treat wide spread post-traumatic stress and depression. Sea shipments follow the airlifts. It supplies humanitarian relief and first aid items, such as blankets, bandages and ointment to treat wounds.

The supplies help care workers on the ground to provide immunizations, doctor’s visits, maternity care, children’s health services and emergency surgeries for victims of violence. Over 65,000 patients were helped in the last quarter of 2009.

After years of turmoil and war, refugees continue to suffer. During the last 3 months in 2009, nearly 100 babies were born in the Guereda Hospital which helps refugees in Chad. AmeriCares’ regularly sends prenatal vitamins to both Sudan and Chad to help moms-to-be and their unborn children. These airlifts contain approximately $150,000 worth of the critical vitamins to help improve the mothers’ and babies’ health.

Since 2004, AmeriCares has sent medicines, supplies and equipment to Darfur, Sudan and neighboring Chad. AmeriCares has undertaken 11 airlifts to Darfur, delivering over 175 tons of help valued at more than $6 million. By the end of 2009, AmeriCares had delivered seven shipments to Chad. These included over 50 tons of supplies and medicines valued at more than $4.4 million. The shipments of help bring AmeriCares’ total medical support for Darfur refugees to over $11.2 million.

Health Care Deep in the Heart of Mumbai

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AmeriCares India recently partnered with Karunya Trust to provide health screenings, medicines and other aid to vulnerable women and girls. The groups set up temporary health clinics to reach a severely underserved community on the outskirts of Mumbai.

“Most of our patients in this community live a hand to mouth existence. They are so poor that they do not seek medical help due to the fear of losing their daily wages,” said Dr. Purvish Parikh, Vice President of AmeriCares and Managing Director of AmeriCares India Foundation. “Providing medical care close to home is practically the only way the women and children in this community can receive treatment for their illnesses and injuries.”

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