PAHO/WHO: PAHO issues $3.5 million donor appeal for humanitarian health response in the Bahamas

“The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is requesting an initial US $3.5 million from donors to cover short-term health care and other needs for the population in the Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian. The devastating category 5 storm made landfall … in northwest Bahamas, and severely affected the health sector, with significant destruction of equipment and medical supplies and electrical and water supplies in Abaco and Grand Bahama. … The funding requests includes $1.3 million to restore health care delivery in affected areas, $500,000 for surveillance to detect and manage disease outbreaks, $800,000 for safe access to water, emergency sanitation, and control of disease vectors, and well as $671,000 to coordinate humanitarian assistance and manage information to address the most urgent humanitarian needs” (9/8).

 

UNICEF: Hurricane Dorian leaves behind massive destruction in the Bahamas

“…On 7 September, UNICEF announced the arrival to Nassau, Bahamas of a plane carrying nearly 1.5 tons of lifesaving supplies that will help provide access to safe water for over 9,500 children and families left reeling by Hurricane Dorian. This first supply shipment of UNICEF humanitarian items was freighted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and includes over 400,000 water purification tablets, several 5,000-liters tanks for at least 2,000 people and 1,000 jerry cans. UNICEF has also deployed staff in the Bahamas to assess the needs of the most vulnerable children and families. The first responder team is composed of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection, emergency coordination and communications experts. Despite the extremely challenging logistic situation on the ground, UNICEF was able to reach Abaco island to assess the extent of the destruction to help inform its humanitarian response plan” (9/8).