AmeriCares Pledges $50 Million in Aid for Haiti

Commitment to support disaster relief and rebuilding efforts

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the health care situation in Haiti transitions from emergency medicine to addressing acute and chronic medical conditions, AmeriCares, the global health and disaster relief organization, is increasing its commitment to the people of Haiti by pledging to deliver $50 million in aid to help rebuild the country's health care system. AmeriCares initially planned $15 million in aid for earthquake relief efforts, but more than tripled that commitment because of the tremendous health care needs and generous outpouring of support from donors and medical product manufacturers and distributors.

"AmeriCares has been working around the clock to deliver medical assistance in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake," said Curt Welling, President and CEO of AmeriCares.  "Our emergency relief team was on the ground in Haiti distributing medicines, medical supplies and other humanitarian relief within days of the earthquake.  We know from experience the need will not diminish in the months and years ahead. That's why AmeriCares will be there for the long term delivering relief supplies and helping rebuild Haiti's health care system."

AmeriCares comprehensive long-term response includes:

• Delivering medical assistance to meet health care priorities, control infectious diseases and treat waterborne diseases;
• Providing aid for maternal and child health, as well as protecting orphans and vulnerable children;
• Rebuilding hospitals and health clinics damaged in the earthquake;
• Increasing access to health care and medical treatments;
• Establishing training and education programs for local health care workers.

In addition to delivering medical assistance, AmeriCares will provide resources to help rebuild the country's health care infrastructure.  AmeriCares long-term commitment to Haiti builds on its expertise in post-emergency response and helping to rebuild communities impacted by natural disasters, including the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"The rainy season is fast approaching and the need for medical aid to help fight infectious and waterborne diseases is critical," added Dr. Frank J. Bia, Medical Director of AmeriCares and an expert in infectious diseases and tropical medicine. "AmeriCares will deliver essential medicines that restore health, save lives and address the health care priorities in Haiti." Bia has traveled extensively to Haiti and as a faculty member at Yale University School of Medicine, worked at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti, initiating a program for Yale medical residents to work and train there.

The earthquake destroyed an already fragile health care system. AmeriCares has been working with health care partners to fill empty shelves at hospitals, health clinics, field hospitals and mobile clinics, as well as supplying medical volunteers traveling to Haiti to treat the injured. Within two weeks of the earthquake, AmeriCares delivered $12.5 million in medicines and health care products, including anesthetics, antibiotics, pain relievers and basic medical supplies, such as gauze, sutures and syringes.  

AmeriCares has been working in Haiti since 1984, delivering medicines and supplies to health care providers throughout the country.  Those deep roots have enabled our emergency response team to navigate the challenging environment and overcome transportation issues in order to increase access to medicines for the Haitian people in both rural and urban areas.  To date, our medical assistance has reached over 40 hospitals and medical facilities treating the injured, and supplied over 60 volunteer medical teams traveling to Haiti.

About AmeriCares:

AmeriCares is a global health and disaster relief organization which delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis.  Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $9 billion in humanitarian aid around the world and across the United States.  For more information, log onto www.AmeriCares.org.

SOURCE AmeriCares