By The Times-Union
BRUNSWICK - A plane loaded with 700 pounds of medicine bound for Haiti lifted off Wednesday from the Brunswick Golden Isles Airport in Jacksonville, FL., officials with MAP International said.
The Cessna aircraft was on the ground less than two hours before MAP staff members had loaded it with medicine worth more than $350,000 that will be transferred to organizations helping survivors of a series of four tropical storms and hurricanes that have killed at least 650 people, MAP International President Michael Nyenhuis said.
"The people of Haiti need medicines desperately," Nyenhuis said. "Homes, hospitals and clinics have been flooded. People have been hurt. Waterborne diseases are rampant."
In mid-August, Tropical Storm Fay killed at least 50 and forced thousands from their homes. Three hurricanes followed, killing an estimated 600 and leaving hundreds of thousands in urgent need.
Before the storms struck, the Brunswick-based relief organization had sent in more than $5 million in medicine to the impoverished nation and, on Sept. 12, sent another shipment of $250,000 in medicine. The agency is looking for opportunities to send relief supplies because areas still have no food, clean drinking water, beds, toilets or medical supplies, MAP said.
MAP is working with Medical Flights International to take the medicine into Haiti, where it will be handed over to Hosean International Ministries, a Haitian organization providing medical care along with Doctors Without Borders.
Wednesday's shipment was flown to Fort Pierce, where it was loaded onto a larger aircraft with other relief supplies that will arrive in Haiti today.
Source: Jacksonville.Com
No comments:
Post a Comment