Several organisations which have been at the forefront of providing HIV treatment and care in Haiti are seeking donations to support earthquake relief efforts. These organisations already have extensive experience of providing health care in Haiti, and are seeking to step up their activities in order to mitigate the extensive damage caused by last week’s devastating earthquake.
Partners in Health has been working in Haiti for nearly 20 years, and has over 100 doctors, 600 nurses and 4000 employees on the ground in Haiti working from 10 existing Partners in Health hospitals to provide relief services to those affected by last week’s earthquake and is urgently seeking donations and medical volunteers; visit www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti for further information.
Partners in Health developed a pioneering HIV treatment programme in Haiti, which demonstrated that it was possible to deliver antiretroviral treatment successfully in one of the world’s poorest countries. Haiti has the most severe epidemic of HIV in the Caribbean region.
Aid for AIDS International is collecting unused medicines in the United States for shipping to Haiti. A full list of requirements and how to donate unused medicines can be found on the group’s website.
MSF has been operating in Haiti for 19 years and also has extensive experience of HIV and TB care. Its main focus at present is running operating theatres in Port au Prince in order to perform urgent, lifesaving surgery. More information on how to donate in the United Kingdom here; for international donation information visit this page at the US Doctors without Borders website.
Weill Cornell Medical College is collecting donations for GHESKIO, which provides HIV and TB care in Port au Prince. Staff at GHESKIO describe how they are trying to continue providing care to thousands of patients with HIV and TB here, while dealing with earthquake damage and casualties.
Film-maker and journalist Anne-Christine d’Adesky, who has reported extensively on the global epidemic and has family connections to Haiti, is blogging daily on the situation in Haiti and is providing a comprehensive overview of responses at www.haitivox.com.
Family Health International, which has worked extensively in Haiti, is also seeking donations for relief efforts.