News Room
The Red Cross Response in Haiti - Challenges Ahead
May 13, 2010
As the important relief operation in Haiti continues, the International Red Cross faces significant challenges ahead. Prior to the earthquake, Haiti was one of the most vulnerable countries in the hemisphere. Nearly 25% of the population was concentrated in slums around Port-au-Prince and sanitation services were practically non-existent, with some 70-80% of Haitians lacking access to clean water. The devastation caused by the earthquake has only served to intensify the vulnerabilities already faced by the people of Haiti.
Confronting the challenges, meeting the needs
The constant population movement between settlements and cities has made it difficult to identify the families most in need of aid. Earthquake-damaged roads, rain-related washouts, and fuel shortages are also part of the daily challenges facing Red Cross relief teams. Despite these issues, the International Red Cross has delivered relief items to nearly 400,000 people and treated over 100,000 patients at Red Cross field hospitals or basic health-care units. As part of this overall effort, the Canadian Red Cross has reached over 42,000 people with relief items in Haiti and continues to work with the Haitian Red Cross to deliver hope to those in need.
Shelter and available land
The Canadian Red Cross is committed to providing shelters for 15,000 families, however without safe and legal land to occupy, building can not proceed. Prior to the earthquake, up to 80% of Haitians rented their land. Landowners must now be identified and permission must be granted before the shelters can be erected. In addition, the large amounts of rubble that continue to clog plots of land must be quickly and safely removed for work to continue.
In New York, in the richest country in the world, with teams of the most well equipped experts on earth, it took two years to clear the rubble of the World Trade Centre. Rubble clearance and reconstruction is an enormous task, and to achieve long-term, sustainable recovery we have to be realistic about the size of that task and how long it will take.
Building a community that owns its future
This is the largest disaster response operation the International Red Cross has ever launched in a single country. While we work with the Haitian Red Cross and community leaders to address their priorities and needs, we know that the months and years ahead will continue to bring great challenges. The Red Cross is committed to helping Haitian families and communities own their future - and we will be there to help every step of the way.
