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Port-au-Prince, HAITI (25 January, 2010) Ten days after the 7.0 earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Save the Children reports that health needs have become urgent in the make-shift camps where families have gathered, especially for children. Many of the injured have yet to receive care from the understaffed hospitals, and unsanitary conditions in the camps are likely to lead to a widespread outbreak of disease.

To meet this need, Save the Children has established two mobile clinics in Leogane – one of the hardest hit towns – where 90% of all buildings are damaged. The clinics are treating 100 people a day; the most common injuries are broken bones, cuts and lacerations. Additional health teams are distributing medical aid in camps in Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and Petit Guave, reaching a total of 85,000 Haitians to date.

“Even after nine days people are still coming in for injuries from the earthquake. In the tropical heat there is growing concern about infections. We have to treat the children and their families in the outlying areas that cannot get to hospitals,” said Annie Foster, Save the Children’s emergency response team leader in Haiti. “We need to do this urgently to prevent further suffering and illness.”

Save the Children is setting up an additional four mobile health teams in Jacmel, where the agency continues with their work to feed malnourished children. Save the Children has mobilized its networks of nutrition providers and vaccinators to reach out to communities, check on pregnant woman and new mothers, encourage breastfeeding, and assist with child birth.

“Outside Port-au-Prince in Jacmel, Leogane and Petit Guave, needs are very acute. We are establishing bases there to be able to meet these needs. We will be setting up more mobile clinics, distributing supplies and establishing Child Friendly Spaces,” said Foster.

“We have to double our efforts now to ensure that there are not outbreaks of disease in the camps set up after the quake. We need to ensure clean water and sanitation to prevent this and access to medicine to treat this. The youngest children are the most vulnerable to diseases such as diarrhoea,” Foster said.

Find out more about our Haiti earthquake disaster response