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Haiti: ADRA Gives Earthquake Survivors a Real Shot in the Arm For more information, contact: John Torres, Senior Public Relations Manager Donate to Haiti
Earthquake Response Fund
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—Fleur ducked and hid behind the man in the chair, unable to watch what was about to happen to her 4-month old baby, Carly. She had brought her daughter to ADRA’s immunization campaign station in the internally displaced persons camp ADRA is managing in Carrefour, Haiti. “I know it’s important for her to have these vaccines so she can resist diseases,” Fleur acknowledged, “But I’m too scared to get the vaccines myself. It’ll hurt!” Fleur came to live in the camp right after the earthquake when part of her house crumbled around her. Three other family members were injured and one cousin is still missing, but Fleur and her baby survived unscathed. Staffing the vaccination stations are nurses that live in the camp. The camp, divided into 12 zones, has an ADRA nurse in each. At the head of the queue for the vaccines today is Louise, the nurse from zone 11. When asked why she became a nurse for ADRA she said, “I’m so glad to be a part of ADRA’s health work here. I wanted to help those affected by the earthquake. I would do anything for them.” Before and during ADRA’s vaccine campaign, she visited those living in her camp and encouraged them to come. “Some people are scared, but most are really glad to come. They know it’ll protect them from diseases,” Louise commented. As I turned to leave the vaccination area, Peter, one of the camp’s volunteer security guards, stopped me. “For a long time I’ve been looking for someone like you,” he started. “I’ve wanted to say thanks to those who are coming from other countries to help us.” Living in zone 7 of the camp, Peter decided to get the vaccine when assigned to provide security for the area. Besides the vaccine, ADRA has assisted him with food, water, a solar light as well as a battery-free radio. His house was also destroyed and the camp is now his home. He used to work as a security guard before, so I asked why he chose to volunteer here at the camp. “It was the only way I could help my country,” he answered, not realizing he was modeling the actions he had just thanked me for. In impromptu displaced persons camps, like those formed after the earthquake in Haiti, the risk of a communicable disease epidemic is very high. ADRA’s vaccine campaign, which began in February, aims to prevent that. To notify people to come, announcements were made on local radio stations and a volunteer with a megaphone went from zone to zone within the camp when the clinic was open. To date, more than 8,000 infants, children and adults have been immunized against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, measles and rubella. ADRA is also providing vitamin A supplements, to avert blindness among young children, and de-worming medication. The campaign is being implemented in conjunction with the Haitian Ministry of Health. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided the vaccines and syringes to ADRA and the U.S Public Health Service helped train the Haitian nurses. ADRA will continue the campaign until it meets its initial goal to vaccinate 14,000 people. If you would like to support ADRA’s relief efforts,
give to the Haiti
Earthquake Response Fund at www.adra.org/haiti,
or by phone at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372).
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