Save the Children - latest update
by Save the Children
Tags: Save the Children, haiti
Earthquake aftershocks are continuing in Haiti and are continuing to block roads making areas still continue to be reasonably inaccessible. But the emergency response is continuing Save the Children staff are doing all they can at the moment to get aid out to people as quickly as possible distributing what we call none food items. Household essentials like cooking pots and equipment like that, blankets, bedding. We are digging latrines and building passing areas(?) in informal camps where people are congregating we’re running an informal health clinic in Leogane one of the worst affected areas west of the epicentre. We are building child friendly spaces, we’ve got 16 running already where we can provide safe places for children to play and also help to identify children who have become separated from their parents in the chaos and aftermath. We are already reaching thousands of people through food distribution and this will upscale in the coming days and weeks. We hope to soon start distributing cash to people who have been affected by the earthquake we know that with cash people can buy what they need and it is not determined by what we think they need it gives them an improved sense of dignity and also helps to support the local economy with recovery. But obviously it is largely dependent on markets being up and running. We are very concerned that there is a high risk of outbreak of infectious diseases particularity in the insanitary conditions where lots of people are having to find themselves creating improvised shelter. Diseases can spread very quickly and particularly at risk of illnesses like measles where in Haiti where is already a low rate of immunization but so far these outbreaks have not yet materialized.
Earthquake aftershocks are continuing in Haiti and are continuing to block roads making areas still continue to be reasonably inaccessible. But the emergency response is continuing Save the Children staff are doing all they can at the moment to get aid out to people as quickly as possible distributing what we call none food items. Household essentials like cooking pots and equipment like that, blankets, bedding. We are digging latrines and building passing areas(?) in informal camps where people are congregating we’re running an informal health clinic in Leogane one of the worst affected areas west of the epicentre. We are building child friendly spaces, we’ve got 16 running already where we can provide safe places for children to play and also help to identify children who have become separated from their parents in the chaos and aftermath. We are already reaching thousands of people through food distribution and this will upscale in the coming days and weeks. We hope to soon start distributing cash to people who have been affected by the earthquake we know that with cash people can buy what they need and it is not determined by what we think they need it gives them an improved sense of dignity and also helps to support the local economy with recovery. But obviously it is largely dependent on markets being up and running. We are very concerned that there is a high risk of outbreak of infectious diseases particularity in the insanitary conditions where lots of people are having to find themselves creating improvised shelter. Diseases can spread very quickly and particularly at risk of illnesses like measles where in Haiti where is already a low rate of immunization but so far these outbreaks have not yet materialized.
To view a fullsize photograph click the thumbnail below.
