Two years after the earthquake that took a quarter of a
million lives and left millions more injured and homeless, Direct Relief has
been among the largest providers of medical material aid to Haiti, which
continues to build back and faces huge challenges. Direct Relief’s in-country
network and distribution system now supports over 115 health facilities
throughout the country with essential medical resources to care for patients.
Backed by the massive generosity of private and corporate
supporters, Direct Relief put together its most comprehensive humanitarian
response in its 63-year history, and has transformed its response into a
commitment to making quality healthcare viable for the long term in Haiti.
Is it getting better?
More and better health services are available now to people
in Haiti than before the earthquake. Challenges persist and progress is
measured, but the unwavering support from people and companies has allowed
Direct Relief to build and equip new surgical facilities, ensure rehabilitation
services are available to people around the clock, and give 115 hospitals and
clinics across the country access to medicine and medical supplies that can be
ordered online at any time for no cost.
How has Direct Relief spent the money?
Direct Relief has provided 1,000
tons of life-saving medicines and medical supplies valued at over $70 million
(wholesale) to health facilities throughout the country caring for patients.
- Continuing
the delivery of needed medications, medical supplies, and equipment. An
effective and efficient distribution system built on four decades of work in
Haiti has been aided by Direct Relief’s new online ordering system. Using a
state-of-the-art, commercial grade IT backbone, Direct Relief created the only
charitable online ordering platform for Haitian healthcare providers to
efficiently order and receive medications and supplies at no cost to them.
- Ensuring
access to long-term rehabilitation services. Direct Relief granted $700,000
to Healing Hands for Haiti International— the only Haitian physical-rehabilitation
organization providing services before the earthquake—to ensure rehabilitative services
for people who were injured in the earthquake. After Healing Hands’ clinic was
destroyed in the earthquake, Direct Relief’s grant allowed Healing Hands to
open a new facility where ongoing care has been provided to 863 adults and 424
children who were injured and needed long-term treatment after the earthquake. An
additional 99 patients who suffered spinal cord injuries have also received
care and rehabilitation from Healing Hands.
- Establishing
the Community Grant Fund. International aid groups received over $2 billion
in donations for Haiti, yet many smaller local groups still struggle to access
funding. That’s why Direct Relief established a Community
Grant Fund to provide over $630,000 to local, Haitian-run organizations
responding to the needs of their communities. More than 500,000 people have
benefitted from the work of these grassroots local groups who have, among other
things, provided more than 1,000 children with schooling, cared for 500 orphans
(many of whom with special needs), and trained community health workers to work
in an area that previously lacked access to health care.
- Fighting
Cholera. Cholera had been absent in Haiti for over 50 years when, late last
year, an outbreak occurred – just as many aid agencies were winding down emergency
earthquake operations. Tragically, cholera claimed 6,600 lives and continues as
a threat but, fortunately, Direct Relief never left Haiti and has provided enough
medical
supplies and equipment to treat 100,000 people and prevent further loss of
life.
What is still needed and how do we move forward?
Haiti has the highest prevalence of maternal mortality,
infant mortality, and HIV infection in the Western Hemisphere. Pregnancy and
its complications have become the leading cause of death and disability among
mothers, and 86 out of 1,000 babies die during their first year.
In addition to continuing to get the right medicines in the
right hands, broadening access to rehabilitative services, bolstering emergency
preparedness, and fighting acute and chronic diseases like cholera and
diabetes, Direct Relief is engaged in safe-motherhood interventions to protect
mothers and children during childbirth.
These interventions include expanding access to safe
deliveries by training and equipping traditional birth attendants and midwives,
addressing complications in birth with emergency obstetric care, and enrolling mothers
into the Prevention of Maternal-to-Child Transmission of HIV program. By
targeting eight health centers strategically located in eight of the ten
departments (or states) in Haiti, Direct Relief will reach a population of
563,000, including approximately 60,000 pregnant women.
Building Permanence
More than 25,000 donors gave to Direct Relief to help people
in Haiti after the earthquake. Direct Relief honors that commitment by ensuring
100% of those donations are used exclusively to help people in Haiti whose
lives remain threatened by sickness, disease, and injury.
Unprecedented generosity deserves to be met with
unprecedented action, and Direct Relief’s streamlined systems of health
resources are helping to build permanent, high quality medical solutions for
people in Haiti who can’t afford to pay for healthcare. Recovery from the
earthquake simply isn’t enough, so Direct Relief will continue to bring the
cost of delivering health services down in order to bring efficiency up so that
more people in Haiti can receive the care they need to live happier, healthier
lives.
Explore Direct Relief’s distribution of aid in Haiti using an interactive map.
View a slideshow highlighting Direct Relief’s ongoing response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti.