Direct Relief International today announced that it is committing $1.2 million-approximately one-third of the cash support it has received for recovery efforts in Haiti-to support the establishment of O&P services and the provision of assistive devices and rehabilitation in long-term efforts for people affected by the recent earthquake.
Direct Relief Emergency Preparedness and Response Director Brett Williams, who is in Haiti overseeing the organization’s relief efforts, announced this after consulting with a working group of Haitian and international organizations that are coordinating assistance for people who have sustained disabling conditions.
“We know this is a long-term need, and we want to help start services that will be here five years from now for Haitians, and run by Haitians,” Williams said. “An additional $2 million likely will be needed, which we will work on, but we think it is important to carve out resources and begin focusing on this critical area now for the long haul. “The funds we have received are for Haiti and Haitians, and they’ll be invested in Haiti to build local capacity to sustain ongoing efforts,” he added.
Williams led Direct Relief’s effort to help the Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Sciences (PIPOS) expand five-fold its services following the country’s massive 2005 earthquake. These services included fitting and local fabrication of prosthetics and orthotics to serve thousands of people who had been left with disabilities. The expanded service centers continue to provide essential services with locally trained staff five years later, with ongoing support from Direct Relief. According to Direct Relief, PIPOS Medical Director Bakht Sarwar was among the first to offer assistance to Direct Relief and its partners in Haiti after the quake.
Direct Relief has supported local health efforts in Haiti since 1964 by providing essential medicines, supplies, and equipment to dozens of partner facilities. Since the January 12 quake, Direct Relief has sped medical aid to Haitian partner facilities struggling to meet the tremendous surge of injured patients. On February 1, the organization also delivered six tons of essential medicines and medical supplies to St. Damien Hospital in Port-au-Prince, the nation’s only free pediatric hospital, to help them treat injured patients. Including that delivery, Direct Relief has delivered to its partners more than $5.7 million in essential medical supplies, which have been donated by dozens of healthcare company partners. An additional $18.5 million in medical material requested by partner facilities is en route and will be delivered in the next several days, which will be followed by additional infusions in the months and years ahead.