IMA Responds to Cholera in Haiti

IMA World Health has delivered its first shipment of medical supplies to slow the spread of cholera in Haiti.

Staff members hand delivered the supplies to a local hospital in Saint Marc where they report that tents are set up in a court yard to handle the overflow of infected patients.

We are responding, but we urgently need your help to obtain and ship additional supplies as soon as possible.We need to raise at least $25,000 to get these critical supplies into the hands of medical workers through our strong network of partners.

WILL YOU HELP?

Your gifts will be used to deliver:

• 50,000 antibiotic tablets
• Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) to treat 25,000 liters of water
• 100,000 water purification tablets
• 20,000 latex gloves for health care workers
• 5,000 bars of antibacterial soap

By October 28th, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported at least 292 people had died and more than 4,100 were being treated for cholera.

Media outlets are already reporting more cases around the country including Port-au-Prince, Haiti's largest city and the area most damaged by the January earthquake.

Saint Marc is about 2 hours north of Port-au-Prince and is the home of IMA World Health's largest office in the country. It is also the location of 96% of the reported cholera cases in Haiti according to the New York Times.

Cholera is a highly contagious, deadly bacterial infection that can be fatal within hours, causing severe and rapid dehydration. It requires immediate action, both to treat the infected person and to contain the outbreak.