Subscribe
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The Joint Task Force-Haiti Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center facilitated a meeting Jan. 30 at the Project Medishare field hospital with key leaders including the President and First Lady of Haiti regarding health care capability and capacity development in Haiti.
Several influential people from various backgrounds attended including Ambassador Louis Lucke, U.S. Special Coordinator for Relief and Reconstruction, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, former NBA star Alonzo Mourning, and key leaders from the United States Agency for International Development, Project Medishare and JTF-Haiti. Everyone present worked together to establish a strategic framework to assess the current and future capability of health care in Haiti.
President Rene Preval provided a general overview of the current health care situation and specific challenges the country is dealing with due to the Jan. 12 earthquake. A number of priorities for humanitarian assistance requirements impacting health care, specifically food, water and shelter, were discussed in detail.
"This is one of the few times since the earthquake senior-level representatives with critical expertise and experience have been able to gather to discuss the immediate challenges to health care in Haiti, as well as the ongoing request from the government of Haiti to provide support to the health care system," said Lt. Col. J.T. Stevens, officer in charge of the HACC.
The HACC is a temporary coordination center established when a need arises to facilitate relief efforts with the host nation government, the U.S. government and the international humanitarian community.
The HACC is comprised of members representing all services and includes many with civil affairs backgrounds.
Stateside, Stevens is the battalion commander of the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), which is part of the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), United States Army Special Operations Command.
"These service members have extensive training in language and cultural awareness that proves to be invaluable when engaging with the people of Haiti," Stevens said.
| Date Taken: | 01.30.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2010 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 44864 |
| Location: | PORT-AU-PRINCE, HT |
| Web Views: | 226 |
| Downloads: | 204 |
This work, Coordination Center facilitates meeting with Haitian president on health care, by 2nd Lt. Victoria Brayton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
