WASHINGTON D.C. — Staff from IMA World Health and Lutheran World Relief, both of the Corus International family, are assessing damage from the Aug. 14 Haiti earthquake, urgent needs and how to most efficiently respond.
Lutheran World Relief and IMA World Health have committed an initial $100,000 to the emergency response, which will likely focus on providing support for essential health services, as most of Corus’ programs in Haiti are focused on health. As critical needs are being determined, the organizations are exploring the possibility of a joint response with other INGOs; coordination with international organizations and the government is central to response planning.
"There are huge medical needs, people who are wounded and in need of care," said Glen Bouchard, IMA World Health country director in Haiti. "Already, the food situation was tenuous. Markets and the infrastructure have been badly damaged. Even getting clean water is a challenge."
The magnitude of the disaster is still emerging, Bouchard said.
"The full impact on many of the earthquake-affected areas is yet to be determined as they remain inaccessible. Most of the urgent needs will multiply as they become more visible and tangible," he said. "Unfortunately, this disaster is not getting due attention and international media has focused on concurrent major humanitarian crises in other parts of the world. We are far from getting the commitments of resources that the 2010 earthquake received, though the needs are dire."
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Lutheran World Relief is an international aid and development organization that partners with communities to help them develop productive and stable economies, improve resilience in the face of a changing climate, and respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. IMA World Health is an international NGO operating that works with communities and governments in fragile settings to overcome public health challenges. In 2019, both organizations joined the Corus International family, an ensemble of global leaders united in a commitment to ending poverty, suffering and injustice once and for all.