Report: Haiti One Year After

Christopher Glass/IMA

A full year has passed since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti one year ago killing an estimated 300,000 people and displacing millions.

In the months after the quake, millions of dollars were donated to help the people of Haiti rebound from the devastation. IMA World Health was one of the organizations on the ground when the quake hit, having two offices in country staffed completely by Haitian health workers. Through our years in Haiti IMA has developed access to a network of community leaders and partners with knowledge of how the country works.

We were in a good position to get things done.

Since the earthquake, IMA received $397,771 in donations from private sources designated for Haiti. Out of that, IMA spent $136,098 to provide medicines, medical supplies and support to Haiti, and an additional $153,000 has been applied to an integrated health and development program in the North Department of Haiti.  Another $94,898 has been applied to combat the cholera outbreak.

That’s a total expenditure of $384,087, nearly all that had been contributed for Haiti.In addition, we received $325,977 in products, medicines and supplies (known as “gifts in kind”) specifically for Haiti.  Between those donations, purchases, and drawing from our own inventories, we have provided over $2.2 million worth of medicines and medical supplies since the earthquake.

Not included in the above totals are 800,000 pairs of new shoes being distributed to children in Haiti through a partnership with TOMS Shoes.

TOMS Shoes, known for its unique business model, gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes purchased.

IMA World Health is using an extensive network of volunteers on the ground to distribute the shoes directly to children and their families. The shoes are important to good health since they help provide a barrier from soil-borne organisms.

Also during that time IMA was able to restart its Neglected Tropical Disease program in Haiti after a brief post-quake delay. IMA leads the implementation of the USAID funded portion of the national program to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (also known as elephantiasis) and soil-transmitted intestinal parasites.

With the help of its partners IMA World Health was able to treat over 2 million people for these diseases since the quake. And the program is slated to reach full nationwide coverage by the end of 2011. 

It has been a year that most people in Haiti would like to forget.

Now, twelve months after the devastating quake IMA continues to be dedicated to the Haitian people.

Millions of dollars worth of supplies and support have been delivered through IMA and its partners but more work must be done.

Will you join us?