Health centre operational in Gonaïves

The PSAC Social Justice Fund provided support for emergency relief in Haiti to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF), which kick-started a health centre in Gonaïves in the wake of a tropical storm. Haïti was hard hit by the tropical storm Jeanne in September 2004, and MSF was able to provide emergency care in the aftermath to the local population through the health centre.

"The centre existed before the disaster but was not operational at all," says Silvien Auerbach, head of the mission in Haïti. "Thanks to the local population which helped us by removing the mud and cleaning it, it can now be used for consultation."

Immediately following the flooding, MSF treated 10,000 people who were transported to the centre by road. In addition to basic health care, MSF also addressed the lack of water and sanitation and evaluated the risks of epidemics of malaria and waterborne diseases. In the midst of the emergency, people were provided with jerry cans and kitchen kits for storing clean drinking water and preparing food. MSF, with a long history of working in Haïti, continues to run the health centre and provides vital medical services to the local population.