Dr. John Yates, ICC Canada's Project Coordinator and former ICC Haiti National Director (in picture above), returned back to Canada on February 3rd after spending over two weeks on the grounds of Grace Children's Hospital. He brought back with him a myriad of vivid mental images and a powerful testimony of the devastation and human disaster caused by the earthquake. To read segments of Dr. Yates' personal reflections please click on this link.

A news media group from CTV's W5 accompanied Dr. Yates for a couple of days while he provided medical assistance to earthquake victims. To view the W5 story on Dr. Yates entitled, "A doctor's harrowing return to Haiti" please click here. 

To view ICC's latest video update click here. 

In a report we received from Dr. John Yates in January , he informed us that the main hospital building sustained significant structural damage and as result is not safe to use. On the positive side, some structures are in tact and functional such as the eye clinic, the administrative building with conference rooms, the area above the pharmacy and the new buildings across the street from the hospital's main campus.

ICC is committed to providing immediate medical emergency response and long-term aid. The grounds of the eye clinic are being used as a field hospital.  Humedica, a medical team from Germany arrived on January 22nd and are working alongside ICC medical staff to provide medical treatment. ICC is committed to the immediate needs of the people of Haiti, but also to the long-term help that will be needed. As such, we will be rebuilding the hospital to continue to provide services to people as we have done for over 40 years. Click here to view pictures displaying the hospital's damage (captured by Melanie Yates). 

The national TB Program that ICC is running in partnership with the Haiti Ministry of Health has been severely affected. The national TB office has been destroyed and ICC will be temporarily housing the program, demonstrating our partnership with the Ministry of Health. ICC has been asked to ensure a steady flow of TB drugs and supplies to now, 8 of the 10 departments...Our role remains critical, our fear is that there may be many patients who, for logistical reasons, may have their treatment interrupted...we must do everything possible to avoid this in order to avoid multi-drug resistance...a deadly and costly result of interruption in treatment.

What is apparent to our workers in Port-au-Prince, is that the flood of international aid is, for the most part, stuck at the airport...caught in what appears to be a struggle for control and a lack of adequate mechanisms for coordination and distribution. We will therefore not be counting on this but pushing forward with other means of accessing support, supplies, manpower, etc. In support of this decision, ICC Canada and ICC US has transferred funds to our office in the DR to purchase all the immediately required food, medical supplies, generators and other needs. These supplies are being transported by road across the border into Haiti.

Please continue to help us uphold ICC Haiti staff and their families in prayer. And remember, any donation can help make a difference. Thank You!