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TrueNewsReport
August 21, 2021
TrueNewsBlog _ Association Des Medecins Haitiens a L’etranger (AMHE), the longest standing Haitian organization with over 10,000 members worldwide, in conjunction with MedIndGroup, a national practice management and medical operations company will donate medical supplies and equipment to the recovery efforts. The supplies will be airlifted to Les Cayes, Jeremie, Saint Louis Du Sud and other areas affected by the earthquake. In addition to the medical supplies, the group will sponsor doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to travel to Haiti to work for at least two weeks at a time. The first plane of doctors and nurses is arriving in Haiti Sunday August 22, 2021.
A week after the earthquake struck the country, the need for medical assistance became more pronounced as the death toll continues to rise. The devastating earthquake struck the southwestern part of the island on Saturday August 14, but by Saturday August 20, the death toll had surpassed over 2, 000, according to Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency. More than 12,000 people were injured, according to official counts. More than 330 people remain missing as the search and rescue operations continue.
Prime Minister ARIEL HENRY appealed for unity in Haiti. “We have to put our heads together to rebuild Haiti,” he said. “The country is physically and mentally destroyed. Search and rescue operations resumed Tuesday after Tropical Storm Grace left the island. That call for unity apparently includes the Haitian Diaspora as the Prime Minister chose COODAH to be part of the government committee overseeing the recovery efforts.
According to government officials, landslides, heavily damaged infrastructure, and security risks posed by groups of gangs along the route used by humanitarian organizations, relief is slow getting to Haitian citizens. USAID said a reliance on air and sea transportation is limiting the frequency and volume of aid deliveries.
Given the security risks and the difficulties associating with delivery, AMHE has partnered with an international relief organization to provide security personnel who will double as search and rescue team to ensure that the doctors and nurses and the medical supplies get to the victims.
“People are desperate” said Jean Desulme, a resident of Les Cayes, whose family has been affected by the earthquake. “We hope that the aid from AMHE arrives soon.” At the airport in Les Cayes, one of the hardest-hit areas, groups of people gathered outside the fence as an aid flight from the United States landed and crews unloaded the plane. An officer from the Haitian national police working to guard the shipments fired two warning shots to disperse a group of desperate young men.
The day after the earthquake, AMHE started to mobilize the Haitian Diaspora around the world, from Chile to France, everyone is coming together to ensure that victims of the earthquake are not forgotten. “The Haitian Diaspora must do everything it can to assist. Although Physicians, nurses and search and rescue workers are currently on the ground in Haiti everyone can help by donating at Haitian Medical Association Abroad (AMHE) – Donate (wildapricot.org).” said AMHE President Dr. Karl Latortue. He went on to say, “Together with MedIndGroup we have done our best to bypass all bureaucracy, when you donate to AMHE all funds will be used directly in our relief efforts.”
