By Maya Brownstein | Community Giving
Above: PIH co-founder Dr. Paul Farmer stands with Mirlande in front of her collapsed home in Les Cayes, Haiti, following Hurricane Matthew.
When Hurricane Matthew began lashing Haiti’s southwest corner last October, we—like many of you—knew the devastation would be profound. And indeed it was: 1,000 lives lost, 15,000 people displaced, and a sharp spike in the number of people needing health care—including those suffering from cholera.
Because of our long history in the country, we could respond immediately, partnering with local and national Haitian officials to support Les Cayes’ Immaculate Conception Hospital, the sole public facility for that region’s 1.5 million people. We repaired the roof and other structures damaged by the storm, purchased a generator that provides electricity 20 hours a day, and installed a chlorine machine that helps decontaminate and maintain sanitation in wards.
We also supported a nearby cholera treatment center by providing medications and supplies. Perhaps most significantly, we helped Haiti’s Ministry of Health in its vaccination campaign against cholera. In November, 729,000 people received a vaccination—which means mothers, fathers, and children are safe from a diarrheal disease that can kill within 24 hours.
Hurricane Matthew was a defining moment for Partners In Health in 2016. We're proud to invite you to read about more of our work, and the impact it's had on Haiti and on 9 more countries around the world, in our 2016 Annual Report, available here: https://medium.com/partnersinhealth/2016annualreport-ec30bf1a337d
Thank you for your continued support!
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