Close to 900 have been reported dead in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew, an early estimate of 350,000 are in need of urgent assistance, and reports of cholera have already begun.
ADRA Haiti's early response included a distribution of food, water purification resources, and hygiene kits.
Cholera was already a concern before the hurricane, and the risk is much greater for it and other waterborne diseases in the storm’s aftermath.
In partnership with GlobalMedic, ADRA is putting a strong focus on providing access to water that is safe for drinking and preventing the spread of cholera and other diseases.
▪ 7 point-of-source water purification units, capable of purifying a combine 140 liters of water per minute
▪ 288,000 Aquatab water purification tablets, which can provide purification for 2.88 million liters of water
▪ 1,000 family emergency kits, which includes a water purification unit that can provide clean water for a year, as well as soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, sanitary napkins, laundry detergent, and other hygiene supplies
In a nation like Haiti, the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, a natural disaster of this magnitude is also a humanitarian disaster.
The population is still recovering from the devastating effects of the massive earthquake in 2010. Before Hurricane Matthew, tens of thousands were already living in tents, and many more in rudimentary housing, thousands have died from a long-lasting cholera outbreak, and livelihoods are often dependent on the local natural resources. Now, thousands are displaced with overcrowded shelters where disease outbreak is always a concern, and natural resources will have been decimated.
The best way for YOU to help is to make a monetary donation, which empowers those in disaster response to act immediately where the need is greatest in Haiti and other countries affected. Please donate right now at https://adra.org/donate/