Emergency Operations Center Situation Report #3 - Haiti Earthquake (PAHO/WHO, edited)

[Giuseppe]

Emergency Operations Center Situation Report #3 - Haiti Earthquake (PAHO/WHO, edited)

[Source Full PDF Document: LINK. EDITED.]

For public distribution

Friday, January 15, 2010 - 6:00 PM, EST

Emergency Operations Center Situation Report #3 - Haiti Earthquake


OVERVIEW

• Six members of the PAHO/WHO Regional Response Team arrived in Haiti on Friday, January 15 and have now integrated into the PAHO/WHO country team that has been operating under difficult conditions since Tuesday. Other members remained in the Jiman? field office.
• The airport is open for humanitarian flights only. There are reports of planes not being able to land or having to be diverted to other countries due to congestion on the only functional airstrip.
• Roads from the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince are open.
• Preliminary assessments have shown widespread devastation to infrastructure and an estimated 50 percent of buildings in some areas have been destroyed or seriously damaged. The number of people without access to water, electricity and communications could number in the millions (UN Emergency Relief Coordinator).
• The largest prison in Haiti, where PAHO/WHO has a health project, has been completely destroyed and more than 5,000 prisoners may have escaped.

CUMULATIVE IMPACT ON HEALTH

• Estimates of the number of dead range between 40,000 and 50,000. A mass burial of 3,000 bodies was reported yesterday.
• Distribution of aid has stepped up in Port-au-Prince although there is still no electricity or running water. Water and sanitation is a priority for all people. In normal times, only 50 % of Haitians have access to clean drinking water and only 19% have access to proper sanitation.
• The central blood bank has been destroyed and no blood services are available at this time.
• Impact on health facilities:
  • At least 8 hospitals and/or health centers have collapsed or sustained serious damage and are unable to function:
    • The UN clinic at the Christopher Hotel -- collapsed
    • Martissant emergency room/centre (managed by MSF) -- damaged and unstable. All patients evacuated and relocated to tents in the ground.
    • Solidarit? maternity hospital, MSF-managed -- severely damaged
    • Trinit? trauma centre (60 beds) MSF-managed -- severely damaged
    • HUEH ( University Hospital) -- damaged
    • New hospital on Delmas -- damaged
    • Eliazard Germain hospital (Petionville) -- damaged
    • Petits freres et soeurs (Port au Prince) -- damaged
  • At least 5 hospitals are functioning: Hospital St. Espirit, Hospital Pere Damien, Clinique Hospital Le Messie, Le Nouveau Ventre Medico Hospitalier and the Argentine military hospital.

Major health concerns:

• People trapped underneath rubble are at greatest risk. Untreated trauma wounds and infection of wounds are major health concerns that need priority attention.
• Health risks have now increased due to the threat of infectious diseases, diarrhea, lack of safe drinking water, sanitation, among others.
• Zoonotic diseases such as rabies, snakebites, etc. pose a threat.
• Damage to health facilities means that routine treatment will be disrupted for people with pre-existing conditions such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer etc.

PAHO/WHO RESPONSE

• Six members of the PAHO/WHO Regional Response Team arrived in Haiti on Friday, January 15. This includes the UN Health Cluster coordinator, disaster managers, environmental sanitation experts and structural engineers.
• Daily Health Cluster meetings are underway.
• Two logistics officers will arrive on Saturday from Geneva with equipment to reestablish telecommunications at the PAHO/WHO office.
• The PAHO/WHO office has temporarily relocated its office to the PROMESS compound until a structural assessment can be performed. PROMESS acts as the central medical stores for Haiti?s Ministry of Health and is managed by PAHO. Members of other UN agencies are also working from this site.
• PAHO/WHO is establishing a logistics operations base along the border in Jiman? (Dominican Republic). This will be one of many LSS/SUMA hubs to manage incoming humanitarian supplies.
• PAHO/WHO has advanced US$ 200,000 from its disaster response fund to initiate immediate critical activities. The Government of Spain has pledged support to Haiti through PAHO/WHO. Other contributions to the health portion of the UN Flash Appeal are expected soon.

OTHER ACTIONS

• At least 13 countries in the Americas have confirmed the deployment of medical teams. In addition, six countries have sent search and rescue teams. Many PAHO/WHO member countries are also providing funds and supplies and are awaiting reports in order best meet the needs in country.
• The United Nations launched a Flash Appeal; funding requested for health sector totals US $31.8 million.
• The UN Secretary-General has made available US$10 million in emergency funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
• WHO has released US$ 75,000 from its Rapid Response Account and is deploying two logisticians and two experts in water and sanitation.
• The five UN Clusters that have been mobilized so far include: Logistics (WFP), Shelter/Non-food Items (IOM), Watsan (UNDP/Unicef), Health (WHO) and Food (WFP).

Source: OCHA

Contact the PAHO EOC at +1 202 974 3399 or eoc@paho.org

https://www.twitter.com/pahoeoc

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