We just got this update from Circle of Health International (COHI), the organization MADRE is partnering with to support a team of midwives and maternal health practitioners traveling to Haiti. They are doing incredibly important work, and we'll continue to post updates as we receive them.
January 20, 2010 – Circle of Health International (COHI) announced today that its first women's health team has arrived in the border town of Jimani to identify and begin responding to women's unique and critical health care needs. This team, comprised of midwives and other women's health providers and public health professionals, will conduct a Rapid Health Assessment to gather information about the most pressing women's health concerns, provide desperately needed clinical services, and liaise with other relief agencies and organizations on the ground to make sure that women's health needs are addressed as part of the overall relief effort. They will also lay the groundwork for future COHI teams to continue this important work on behalf of women. A second team will be leaving shortly.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund has estimated that there are 37,000 pregnant women among the survivors of the earthquake, and has recognized COHI's expertise in preventing more maternal deaths in crisis situations. As the international community acts to bring relief to the disaster torn island, COHI is using their expertise to include women's health needs as an integral part of the overall relief effort, doing their best to ensure that the devastating earthquake in Haiti does not have a similarly devastating effect on women's health in the region.
Hello Madre,
I was lucky enough to find your organization via the Gender Disaster Network while researching a song I have written about the situation for Women in Haiti - and in Disaters in general. I link to your organizaion on my blog. Thank you for the important work that you do on behalf of women. The song "Disaster" is here if you are interested: http://bloginsong.com
Posted by: Camille Bright-Smith | January 25, 2010 at 03:59 PM