We at HAS sincerely appreciate the partnerships that help make our work possible; in fact, not a day goes by without our somehow collaborating with others and with the community we serve. We deliver life-saving care and help the people of the Artibonite improve their health and quality of life with the help of many.
One of our most highly valued partners is Direct Relief. HAS CEO Louis Martin recently visited Direct Relief, and had the privilege of giving a presentation to the entire Direct Relief staff at their California headquarters.
“This is a first-class organization! They are a terrific partner to HAS.” – Louis Martin, CEO
Direct Relief provides medical assistance to people around the world who have been affected by poverty, natural disasters, and civil unrest. They first began working with HAS in January 2010, during earthquake relief efforts, when they sent hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical supplies to the hospital, which was filled with patients from all over Haiti seeking emergency care. Direct Relief has continued to support us steadily with multiple large shipments of supplies every year at no cost to HAS, saving the hospital a significant amount annually in crucial medications and supplies.
Direct Relief recently rose to the challenge in yet another emergency situation in our effort to prevent the spread of cholera, which has re-emerged with the rainy season.
At the end of July, when we received news of a sudden increase in cholera cases originating from a mountainous part of our service area, we immediately took action by keeping the remote clinics closest to the outbreak open around the clock, creating a contingency plan for the hospital, reviewing cholera care protocol with staff, and gathering materials for use in the effort. After an inventory of supplies, we feared that we did not have enough bleach to disinfect homes and treat water sources to prevent the spread of cholera.
In this situation, as in many before, Direct Relief anticipated our need and reached out to us. Then, within days, HAS received 600 gallons of bleach and 200 buckets with lids, handles, and holes for dispensing treated water. This was a sizable donation of the exact materials that we needed to fight cholera in a crucial moment; without this help, we would have struggled to disinfect as necessary in both the community and the hospital. Though the fight is not over and we continue to receive cholera patients, we can continue the fight and slow the spread of this terrible disease with greater effectiveness thanks to these vital supplies.
A big HAS thank you to Direct Relief!
And we thank most sincerely all of our partners for their continued generous support! With their help, we can collaborate with the community to care for the 345,000 people in the Lower Artibonite Valley of Haiti!
For updates in our service region, check in with us often on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hashaiti.org) and Twitter (@HASHaiti).