"The first 48 hours after an earthquake is critical" according to Doctors of the World's President, Olivier Bernard.
An emergency team of medical professionals is flying to Haiti from Paris and Canada. Our staff have begun work in the rescue effort and are distributing medicines to those who need them.
Photo: Reuter/Eduardo Munoz, courtesy www.alertnet.org
Immediate medical care is needed with temporary hospitals being erected after many of the buildings in the area, including hospitals, were destroyed.
Doctors of the World has been a strong presence in Haiti for the past 15 years, running projects throughout the country. Our biggest project is based in Port-au-Prince, where the earthquake struck.
The Director General of Doctors of the World, Pierre Salignon, says the medical needs are critical but that's not forgetting other needs that will have to be addressed, "other problems will arise, most notably access to water and food. It is also essential to provide shelter for those who find themselves with nothing."
The earthquake struck at 4.53pm local time on Tuesday 12th January. It measured a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale. It is the worst earthquake to hit Haiti in 200 years.
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