Earthquake Haiti: General medical care following first aid assistance

27 January 2010

Earthquake Haiti: General medical care following first aid assistance

Leogane/ Port-au-Prince/Cologne. 14 days after the devastating earthquake Malteser International has started to concentrate its activities on general medical care in addition to first aid assistance at the health post in Leogane.  Malteser International humanitarian coordinator Beate Maass explains that the construction and extension of the medical infrastructure is still the priority. “Together with our Argentinean friends about 2,000 patients have been provided with medical assistance in the health camp in Leogane.”  Now, above all, post operative care has to be provided as well as general daily medical assistance. By request of the Haitian public health authority, ambulatory medical assistance is to be expanded to the people in the camps in the areas surrounding Port-au-Prince. 
 

„Considering the weather conditions and the fact that thousands of Haitians have been forced to live outside for two weeks, we have to start with hygiene and health promotion campaigns as soon as possible,” Maass reports.  And in these efforts, Malteser International will strive to cooperate with the local people and to integrate Haitians in its humanitarian work.
 
“After 14 days a phenomenon is beginning to occur in Haiti, and one which is a typical effect of such disasters: The prices for food and general services are exploding,” Maass explains.  There is still no regular market. For a package of toasted bread one has to pay five dollars, a rented car would cost 150 dollars. Therefore Malteser International intends to ensure its own provisions and logistical needs as soon as possible. 
 
 
Malteser International is the worldwide relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta for humanitarian aid. The organisation provides aid in about 200 projects in more than 20 countries without distinction of religion, race or political persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence are the foundation of its work. For further information: www.malteser-international.org and www.orderofmalta.org 
 
 
 
 
With best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen
 
Petra Ipp-Zavazal
 
Senior Desk Officer International Communications/
Referentin Internationale Kommunikation
 
 
Malteser Hilfsdienst e. V.
Malteser International
Kalker Hauptstr. 22-24, 51 103 Köln
 
Telefon +49 (0) 221 9822-155
Telefax +49 (0) 221 9822-179
eMail Petra.Ipp@malteser-international.org
 
Web www.malteser-international.org, www.malteser-spenden.de
 
Malteser Hilfsdienst e. V., Sitz: Köln, AG Köln VR 4726
Geschäftsführender Vorstand:
Johannes Frhr. Heereman, Dr. Elmar Pankau, Georg Schnelle