In the wake of Tuesday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, the need for medicines, basic medical supplies, food and shelter is extremely urgent. Financial contributions to the relief effort are also badly needed, as are trained medical staff.
There are numerous ways to help groups already on the ground in Haiti. One of the best, Partners In Health, founded by Dr. Paul Farmer and several others, has been operating in the country since 1987. PIH operates clinics in Port au Prince and other major Haitian cities. With hospitals and a highly trained medical staff in place, Partners In Health is already bringing medical assistance and supplies to areas that have been hardest hit. Donations to PIH to help earthquake relief efforts will be quickly routed to the disaster.
You can donate online to the Partners in Health effort via this link:
http://www.pih.org/home.html
or send your contribution to:
Partners In Health,
P.O. Box 845578
Boston, MA 02284-5578
Trained medical staff are also urgently needed.
Nurses who want to volunteer in Haiti are being coordinated by the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), a project of the 150,000-member National Nurses United (NNU), formed last month through the unification of the California Nurses Association and other nurses unions. RNRN is hoping to have nurse volunteers on the ground in Haiti within the next few days and is coordinating with Haitian nurses on the effort.
Details are still being worked out, but those able to support the efforts of these nurses can get involved via:
* www.NationalNursesUnited.org to sign up to volunteer or donate
* @NationalNurses on twitter or by following: #haitiRN
* Call the RNRN hotline: 1-800-578-8225
The RNRN may also be able to help direct physicians who would like to volunteer in the recovery effort. Groups like Doctors without Borders are among those who are already treating victims.