What are the emergencies for the NGOs on site?

The provisional toll of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the southwest of Haiti on Saturday increased to 1,297 dead and more than 5,700 injured, according to the country’s civil protection services. More than a million people “affected, including 540,000 children”, estimates Bruno Maes, representative of Unicef ​​in Haiti. Figures which should still increase considerably as research progresses.

Faced with this human tragedy, many NGOs intervene on the spot. But what are the most urgent missions to accomplish? Muhamed Bizimana, deputy director of CARE in Haiti, explains that obviously, a large part of emergencies is devoted to finding the missing under the rubble, but also to sheltering and protecting a whole part of the now homeless population. , or living in houses that can collapse at any time.

Water, a major issue

A need all the greater since the earthquake affected “some of the poorest neighborhoods in Haiti, with many houses that are not up to seismic standards and a high population density”, deplores the deputy director. Evacuating the population is sometimes not so easy, notes the director: “In the poorest neighborhoods, people sometimes find it difficult to leave their homes, because it is their only asset. It sometimes takes a lot of teaching to explain the risks of staying and that even if this is not always visible, the house is badly damaged and can no longer constitute a safe habitat ”.

Added to this is the need to provide “basic necessities, such as food and non-perishable items such as blankets. “Agathe Lo Presti, director of the program in Haiti of Handicap International, obviously adds the need for water” consumable or not, for daily needs “.

Water is a major issue in any disaster. Already of course to hydrate the population and allow them to drink, but also to avoid the profusion of diseases. Haiti in particular has been affected by several cholera epidemics, due to unsuitable water following cataclysms. “The unsanitary condition of the water is one of the great threats which our NGOs must seize,” argues Muhamed Bizimana.

Haitian specificities

In addition to these similar needs for any country affected by a natural disaster, there are the specificities of Haiti. First, the nation is regularly affected by disasters: earthquakes, hurricanes, etc. In fact, “this succession of disasters has accentuated the vulnerability of the country’s structures and therefore of its population. There is an urgent need for support and strengthening of hospital and reception structures, ”says Agathe Lo Presti.

She continues with the challenges of access: “The earthquake occurred in remote areas, with damaged roads, and a situation of insecurity in Port au Prince (the capital of the country, Editor’s note) with various armed groups. In particular, we asked for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor. “

Experience, resilience and vulnerability

Do the many disasters that have befallen Haiti make it possible to better manage this earthquake, with the experience accumulated by previous tragedies? The answer is ambivalent. On the one hand, “it is certain that NGOs are keen not to make certain past mistakes. During the previous earthquake, some NGOs had stepped on it a little or were embarrassed in their common tasks. This time there is the will to better determine each role in order to avoid that. Also, we know better the territory and its specificities, in particular certain difficulties of access. “

Muhamed Bizimana adds that the population is also better educated in the behavior to adopt in the event of a natural disaster. “There is less pedagogy to do than in the past, the Haitian population is very resilient and most of the time knows what to do. This avoids certain risky behaviors or making the situation worse. “

But behind these positive sides also hide a population and structures weakened by all the previous tragedies, and much more vulnerable at the time of suffering this new tragedy. The NGOs know that there will be a lot of work.