*Guest blog by Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Red Cross*
We can all remember almost one year ago, image after image of destruction in Haiti following a devastating earthquake. For me, it was the footage of people grieving, shocked, and injured that had the greatest affect. Hospitals were among the many buildings that had collapsed, sadly killing medical personnel- some of the very people who were needed most.
As part of a major response, the Red Cross immediately deployed medical personal, equipment and field hospitals and lives were certainly saved. In fact, the Red Cross is still providing emergency health care through the Canadian Red Cross field hospital, treating hundreds of patients for cholera.
There is no question that emergency health care saves lives, but what about the longer-term needs? We saw how months after the earthquake it wasn’t injuries or illnesses caused by that the disaster that brought people into our hospitals, it was people looking for general medical help. That’s why on Monday I proudly stood before media at an event in Montreal and announced a five-year partnership with some major partners that will help build health capacity in Haiti.
The Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine (Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre), the Direction de santé publique (Public Health Department) of the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal (Montréal Health and Social Services Agency) and the Unité de santé internationale (International Health Unit), along with the Canadian Red Cross, will make it possible to reconstruct and strengthen the health care system in four communities. This program will improve access to quality health services for mothers, newborns and children, as well as strengthen community care and first aid.
For the Red Cross, it is not just about providing emergency health care to communities in Haiti, we are ensuring a lasting impact through reconstruction, training and capacity building.
Read our press release for more information.