The Canadian Red Cross has deployed its field hospital in a joint effort with the Mexican Red Cross and Colombian Red Cross, to help support communities affected by the devastating earthquake that struck on April 17 in the province of Esmeraldas, on the coast of Ecuador.
Eight aid workers from Canada have were deployed to help set up the hospital and carry out assessments: Nathalie AuClair, from Montreal; David Campfens, from Ontario (currently based in Panama); Claudia Chavez, from Montreal; Rachel Meagher, from Ottawa; Nicolas Verdy, from Montreal; Charlotte McGlade, from Ottawa; Marcel Mcintyre, from Goderich, Ontario; and Sam Dueck, from Steinbach, Manitoba.
The field hospital helps meet a variety of healthcare needs. Some of the services the Red Cross expects to provide are basic emergency obstetric care and transfer of complications, reproductive health services for women and men, outpatient care for conditions and illnesses such as diabetes and epilepsy, basic first aid and medical care, as well as observation space for patients who need daytime admission, stabilization or referrals.
The field hospital also includes a mobile clinic, which helps provide care to hard-to-reach communities, who may have become isolated. The mobile clinic helps to bring medical care to these areas, as well as monitor any potential heath care situations that may have gone undetected. Deployment of the field hospital also includes handling logistics, such as water-treatment for the clinic.
“With Red Cross logistics support, medical supplies, and medicines, local healthcare providers will be able to reach remote communities that have been made even more vulnerable by the earthquake due to decreased road access to the health center. Through mobile clinics, pregnant women will receive care, young children will receive treatment for common childhood illnesses, and people with chronic conditions will receive medical attention and follow-up. It will take time for primary health services to recover in Ecuador, but the Ecuador Red Cross and its volunteers are there to, now and for several weeks to come” said Rachel Meagher.
At this time, over 600 are reported dead, more than 14,000 are injured, and over 26,000 people are in shelters following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
Canadians can help support the Red Cross’ response to the earthquake with a donation to the
Ecuador Earthquake Appeal.