The devastating earthquake that destroyed much of Haiti is resulting in the displacement of at least 400,000 Haitians who will be moved to camps outside urban areas.
U.S. military personnel and Haitian government officials are working feverishly to get medical aid and basic supplies to the hundreds of thousands of Haitians who have been affected by the earthquake. As of Friday morning, the Haitian seaport in the nation's capital of Port Au Prince had been reopened, but was only able to handle about 150 vessels per day. That number is expected to rise as additional repairs are made to surrounding roadways and structures.
As the search for survivors winds down, the focus has shifted to providing medical aid to the scores of people who remain injured. Many people are suffering from sepsis and various other types of infections that are common when wounds are untreated or exposed to non-sanitary conditions. The makeshift hospital tents and shelters set up by military and relief organizations have helped tremendously, but they are still overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in need.
Many hospital shelters are reporting backlogs of patients that stretch beyond 10 days for treatment. Considering the severity of the injuries, that type of delay will likely prove fatal for many in need of urgent care.
The Haitian government is establishing temporary camps outside of Port Au Prince and other urban areas where it is expected that many Haitians will live for the foreseeable future. As aid continues to pour in to the tiny island nation, the challenge will be to ensure that all supplies are properly managed and distributed in a manner that avoids any violence or local conflicts. The U.S. military presence should be helpful in that regard, but it is unclear exactly how long the U.S. will keep troops on the ground in Haiti.
U.S. military personnel and Haitian government officials are working feverishly to get medical aid and basic supplies to the hundreds of thousands of Haitians who have been affected by the earthquake. As of Friday morning, the Haitian seaport in the nation's capital of Port Au Prince had been reopened, but was only able to handle about 150 vessels per day. That number is expected to rise as additional repairs are made to surrounding roadways and structures.
As the search for survivors winds down, the focus has shifted to providing medical aid to the scores of people who remain injured. Many people are suffering from sepsis and various other types of infections that are common when wounds are untreated or exposed to non-sanitary conditions. The makeshift hospital tents and shelters set up by military and relief organizations have helped tremendously, but they are still overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in need.
Many hospital shelters are reporting backlogs of patients that stretch beyond 10 days for treatment. Considering the severity of the injuries, that type of delay will likely prove fatal for many in need of urgent care.
The Haitian government is establishing temporary camps outside of Port Au Prince and other urban areas where it is expected that many Haitians will live for the foreseeable future. As aid continues to pour in to the tiny island nation, the challenge will be to ensure that all supplies are properly managed and distributed in a manner that avoids any violence or local conflicts. The U.S. military presence should be helpful in that regard, but it is unclear exactly how long the U.S. will keep troops on the ground in Haiti.
