Haiti Natural Disaster

In 2008 Hurricane Gustav affected Haiti. It is important to understand that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and have original problems in respect to health (AmeriCares, 2009). Moreover, Haiti has high infant and maternal mortality rates, high malnutrition, and the inhabitants have a high rate of having HIV/AIDS too (AmeriCares, 2009). To make matters worse, Hurricane Gustav struck the area and destroyed about 10,000 homes and up to 90% of crops were lost as a result (AmeriCares, 2009). This original incident of malnutrition could have been aggravated by this natural disaster. One of the organizations that managed to send medical and disaster supplies within a few days was AmeriCares (AmeriCares, 2009). This organization supplied about 80,000 people with medical supplies and brought food to this country as well (AmeriCares, 2009). The only barrier to access healthcare was through the hopes that other countries would send over food and medical supplies to the area because they had lost everything by the disaster. Money was raised through different organizations and that also helped buy food and supplies that these individuals needed. Before the disaster struck, it was known that three out of four Haitians were living in poverty (AmeriCares, 2009). Lack of money can affect their health because of the lack of money to pay for health care costs. The disaster helped everyone regardless of their socioeconomic status, which  helped these individuals get some type of care health wise. The health services lasted for many months because these individuals living in Haiti were under environmentally unhealthy conditions.

If I were to have been a healthcare provider for this event, I feel that adequate help arrived for this natural disaster. Other countries cooperated by sending food and medical supplies as well, which was great. The first organization to respond was AmeriCares and its warehouses are located in Miami and New York City in order to rapidly respond to Haiti and nearby regions (AmeriCares, 2009). I feel that Haiti is best prepared for another natural disaster if it were to occur because their experience with hurricanes and earthquakes allows them to estimate the amount of supplies they need to have for an emergency situation.

 

Reference: AmeriCares. (2009). Health and hope in Haiti. Retrieved from       http://www.americares.org/who-we-are/newsroom/news/health-hope-in-         haiti.html