For Haiti, 2010 has not been a kind year. On Jan. 12, at 4:53 p.m. a magnitude seven earthquake shook the country, leaving more than a million people homeless and 230,000 dead. The worst is far from over. Despite help that has flooded in from around the world, the country’s infrastructure is in ruins and the hastily put together refugee camps are a breeding ground for illness, especially cholera. One West Island organization has upped their ante in providing help to Haitians, a country they’ve been supporting since 1994.
Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC), based out of Dollard des Ormeaux, is a not-for-profit relief and development organization that works through partnerships to increase access to medicine and improve health in the developing world. While Haiti is one of their focus countries, HPIC has also provided aid for 100 countries across the globe.
HPIC works as the third party—providing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with medication and medical supplies donated by pharmaceutical companies.
“One angle is the donor,” said HPIC’s senior director of international health development, Samar Assousa. “We have been building relationships with about 80 pharmaceutical companies across Canada. Then we work with different NGOs across Canada who are working in partnership with ministries of health providing access to health care. We also work with physicians who are travelling and carrying medicines.”
Physicians carry what are called physician travel packs—50-pound carry-on boxes that are filled with essentials like antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication—medicine that is vital for Haitians during the cholera epidemic. HPIC has sent 262 of these physician travel packs to Haiti since the earthquake hit.
“What (the sick people need) is basic oral rehydration salts because they are losing a lot of water and electrolytes that will sustain the functioning organs in your body,” said Assousa, who is a trained nurse. “For a child who is malnourished, it becomes incredibly essential that they get these oral rehydration salts. If it becomes more severe, they are not able to take anything by mouth and that’s when they need IV fluids for rehydration. This is the first line of defense. It can become so severe that they might need antibiotics as well. For the cholera epidemic, we are responding by sending medicines through several of our NGOs partners.”
Some of the NGOs partnered with HPIC include Samaritan’s Purse and Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.
“I just can’t imagine what’s it is like in Haiti during this recovery phase,” said HPIC’s director of marketing communications, Sherry O’Connell. “There are needless deaths because they don’t have access to help. Cholera is so treatable if caught early. They recover so quickly if they get rehydrated. This is their third blow in one year. It’s really awful but we are doing what we can to help.”
You can also provide help to Haiti. HPIC make it easy for you by offering a catalogue of gifts that range from $20 to $540. These are not your typical gifts but they may save a life or two. With a $20 gift, you could ensure that 140 children and adults receive pain relief. For $540, you can send your very own physician travel pack to a mobile clinic. Visit www.hpicanada.ca or call 1-800-627-1787 for more information. You can also visit the offices at 3675 Sources Blvd., office 209.
