The Israeli medical personnel working with IsraAID/FIRST have been operating in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince for five days now, both within the government hospital as well as outside the city in a makeshift clinic in a football stadium.
The 15 members of the team have been asked by Operation Blessing, its partner on the ground, to provide treatment in the local football stadium where more than 2,000 injured people have gathered, in need of emergency medical aid. As word of the clinic spreads, the injured continue to stream in.
"The situation is horrible... people are hungry and wounded. There are constant waves of injured people coming to the stadium," said delegation member Alan Schneider.
Due to the continuing need for assistance, IsraAID/FIRST will be sending an additional team of 12 medical and logistical staff to Haiti over the coming weekend.
Medical and other urgent supplies will be purchased in the Dominican Republic and the team will also use items provided by the US.
IsraAID's emergency response in Haiti is supported by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, the American Jewish Committee, B'nai B'rith International, The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, The Jewish Federation of Cleveland and The Jewish Federation of San Francisco, and other federations in North America.
