Field Hospital Supported by the Government of Canada now Deployed in Haiti

OTTAWA , Jan. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced today that the Red Cross emergency field hospital, as well as 10 Canadian medical and technical professionals, are now deployed in Haiti and providing medical care. The hospital, set up in Port-au-Prince , will help the Canadian Red Cross provide health and medical care to Haitians affected by the earthquake. The hospital and medical personnel arrived over the weekend and are fully operational today.

"This field hospital will help provide emergency medical attention, one of the most pressing needs on the ground in Haiti in the wake of Tuesday's earthquake," said Minister Oda. "Our government is working closely with the Norwegian Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross to provide the essential surgical and medical care that the hospital will bring to those who have suffered serious injuries."

"We are incredibly grateful for this generous contribution from the Government of Canada ," says Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Red Cross. "This contribution, along with all the donations we have received, will allow us to continue to provide urgently needed care to the many people devastated by this earthquake."

The Government of Canada is providing $800,000 in support of this emergency field hospital and the medical professionals. This field hospital is a Norwegian and Canadian Red Cross co-funded facility, which will provide essential surgical and medical care for up to 300 individuals per day. It includes customized modules such as surgery, first aid and triage, a ward of 70 beds, a community health unit, and a psychosocial support unit. Reports indicate that many hospitals in the capital city have collapsed, and those that are open at full capacity.

Support for this field hospital is part of the initial $5 million for immediate humanitarian assistance announced on January 13 by Minister Oda. Further assistance will be based on needs assessments.

For further information: Jessica Fletcher, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of International Cooperation, Telephone: [phone]; Media Relations Office, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]