Haiti to relocate key facilities

OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin (right) meets with Haiti’s Minister of Health Alex Larsen (left).

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, October 6, 2008 – Medical and other key facilities in Haiti will be rebuilt in areas not prone to disasters, the country’s newly appointed Health Minister Alex Larsen has revealed.

Minister Larsen told officials at the Organisation of American States (OAS) during a recent visit to its headquarters in Washington that the decision was taken after four consecutive storms devastated the country, destroying homes, crops and infrastructure including health and educational facilities, and killing nearly 800 people.

OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin praised the decision, saying that it was significant that Haitian authorities were thinking “structurally” because a structural approach to disaster mitigation is vital. He also welcomed the minister’s indication that the authorities will be very keenly monitoring the food aid distribution to ensure it reaches the neediest.

Ambassador Ramdin made the comments as he reaffirmed the OAS pledge of ongoing assistance to Haiti’s emergency disaster relief efforts. Minister Larsen said that while a massive clean-up continues in Gonaïves and other cities hardest hit, there was still a significant amount of work to be done.

The OAS top official noted that as short-term emergency relief approaches an end, the next phase of Haiti’s recovery will entail addressing many health-related issues.

“The OAS is trying to mobilise everything we can,” Ambassador Ramdin said, also pointing out the importance of giving political support to the new Haitian government.

Meantime, the Executive Director of the United Nation’s World Food Programme, Josette Sheeran, has called on donor nations to fully fund urgent hunger needs and infrastructure rehabilitation in Haiti.

“The misery index is rising daily and this will require a massive effort to help people stave off hunger and save lives,” she said.

Since September 5, WFP has distributed food to 285,000 people in more than 57 shelters across the city. It says it needs US$54 million for food, logistics and emergency telecommunications to meet urgent hunger needs.

“The US, Japan, EC, Switzerland and Canada have stepped up with almost $11 million and we can meet urgent food needs until the end of November. Despite this show of generosity from many nations, we need more help so we can continue with the emergency operation and our other programmes here that will contribute to the longer-term solution President (Rene) Préval and the people of Haiti so desperately need,” Ms Sheeran added.

An entire month after the last storm struck, three million cubic metres of mud still need to be removed from the city and 50,000 people still remain in shelters.

President Préval recently expressed gratitude to the international community for the aid provided to the storm-weary Caribbean nation. He, however, noted that progress would require much more.

“Systematically rebuilding the social infrastructure would require genuine solidarity and a consolidation of resources,” he said at the just concluded 63rd United Nations (UN) General Assembly.