Haiti: Distribution Routes working-Haiti Aid Rolls - Ban Ki Moon

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | January 21, 2010 at 08:17 am

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Nine days after the powerful 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations announced that effective distribution routes had been established in Haiti.

"I know that there were several delays during the initial stage of the aid operation, but in the meantime we have built a very effective distribution system to avoid bottle necks", Ban Ki Moon said.

Approximately 150 aircraft are landing in Port-au-Prince now daily.

According to UN Emergency Coordinator, John Holmes, 120 survivors have been recovered. The German Foreign Officer says that 4 German nationals are still missing.

In the meantime the search for survivors continues. The US has committed another 4000 troops, bringing their total to 15,000.

The USS Comfort is now offshore with 12 operating rooms and a 1000 bed hospital. Yesterday some 80 people were transferred onto the Comfort and another 30 this morning. There are two burn victims on board now and arrangements are being made to get them to Burn Centres in the US.

The Canadian contingent, located at Jacmel, numbers about 2000, with one frigate and one destroyer. A Disaster Assistance Response team is also in location providing medical aid, water purification and engineering expertise.

The IMF has called for some kind of Marshall plan to assist Haiti with reconstruction.

While not everything is not perfect yet in the Aid operation, things appear to be moving in the right direction.

Doctors without Borders have been frustrated during the initial phases for not having been granted permission to land their supply aircraft at Port-au-Prince, delaying vital medical resupply.

One can only feel anguish when one sees the images of patients being operated on without anaestethics or even administering of stitches without local freezing.

The quake casualties are overwhelming, seasoned reporter at a breaking point. Let's hope that Ban Ki Moon is right in his assessment and the aid and recovery operation can commence.

«Ich weiß, dass es in den ersten Tagen gewisse Verzögerungen gab. Aber mittlerweile haben wir ein sehr effektives System aufgebaut, um Engpässe zu umgehen», sagte Ban am Mittwochabend (Ortszeit) in New York nach einem Gottesdienst für die zehntausenden Toten in Haiti.

Unterdessen ging die Suche nach Überlebenden weiter. Nach dem Jahrhundertbeben, bei dem womöglich bis zu 200 000 Menschen starben, fanden Rettungskräfte in den Trümmern vereinzelt noch immer Lebende. So konnten spanische Helfer eine 14-Jährige lebend aus den Trümmern ihres Hauses retten.

UN-Nothilfekoordinator John Holmes zufolge sind seit dem Beben am 12. Januar mit der Stärke 7,0 insgesamt mehr als 120 Überlebende geborgen worden. Nach Angaben des Auswärtigen Amtes werden noch vier Deutsche vermisst. Nach bisherigen Erkenntnissen kamen bei dem Beben vermutlich drei Bundesbürger um. Zwei mutmaßlich deutsche Tote müssten noch identifiziert werden.

Der Internationale Währungsfonds IWF fordert eine Art Marshall-Plan für das geschundene Land.

A pier has now been opened by the U.S. aid effort and ships are being unloaded and transported on a gravel road repaired by U.S. Forces.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Relief supplies were heading into Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from ships docked at a reopened pier Thursday, brought into the city on trucks traveling on a repaired gravel road leading from the port.

A Dutch Navy ship, the Pelikaan, was docked at the city's south pier Thursday, unloading 90 tons of humanitarian aid. Two other ships previously unloaded containers.

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Hugh Askew

at 08:59 on January 21st, 2010

"I know that there were several delays during the initial stage of the aid operation, but in the meantime we have built a very effective distribution system to avoid bottle necks", Ban Ki Moon said."

The UN built the distribution system? Really.

Good thing the US and Canada stayed home, eh?

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 09:03 on January 21st, 2010

Yeah eh? I'm not sure that this entirely true anyways. German press reports at least 20 killed during the quake yesterday. The USS Comforts and several mobile hospitals that will be put up should help considerably.

marianmo

at 09:08 on January 21st, 2010

ty karl, apparently canada is expediting the adoption processes that had already been in place and more aid is on its way........it takes time to remove rubble etc and to create an effective distribution system...lack of infastructure as well as the massiveness of this disaster has created a nightmare situation...we in british columbia have been reminded that we too live in an active earthquake zone and need to be prepared for any emergency... hours we are told to have food and water.........an emergency plan ready etc......hopefully we will never need it

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 09:05 on January 21st, 2010

You're welcome Marian. I.m glad that this is the case. I saw a report on CBC yesterday where the adoptive parents were in constant touch with Immigration. Olivia Chow, NDP, was also involved.

Mary Richard

at 09:17 on January 21st, 2010

Great post AC, thanks for keeping us well informed. I hope the people in Haiti can stay as positive as Ban Ki Moon, especially after this mornings aftershocks.

I'm so glad to see the international adoption process being fast tracked. There were already close to 400,000 orphans in Haiti before the earthquake, who knows how many there will be after the dust settles.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 09:40 on January 21st, 2010

This is certainly a time when we all must come together and do what's right for Haiti. There is a lot of concern over human trafficking. Let's hope the powers to be can keep a tap on it.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 10:05 on January 21st, 2010

The first group of children adopted by Canadian families from earthquake-devastated Haiti should arrive in Canada within a few days, says Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

"We hope and expect the first group will be coming this weekend," Kenney told CTV's Canada AM Thursday.

He said Haitian officials are working to fast-track foreign adoptions, but the chaotic state of the country -- and the virtual collapse of the government -- has slowed down the process.

"The problem is there is no longer a legal system in Haiti, so a lot of these cases are in limbo because they have not been approved," he said.