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Port-Au-Prince, Haiti — In advance of the 2009 hurricane season, IRD shipped more than $4 million dollars worth of oral rehydration salts and pharmaceuticals for people in Haiti, and confirmed the successful delivery in Port Au Prince this month.

“The 2008 hurricane season was especially difficult in Haiti,” said Igor Samac, IRD Logistics Officer who helped arrange the shipment. "There are still people there suffering from the effects of it, who even now lack regular access to clean water. This leaves them with few resources for the upcoming season at the end of the summer.” 

Diarrhea and the resulting dehydration are the leading the cause of death among Haitian children. Last year’s catastrophic hurricane season left the Haitian people vulnerable to life-threatening diseases that rapidly spread with the consumption of contaminated water.

Thanks to IRD’s initiative and the generous donations of oral rehydration salts and the pharmaceuticals by other charitable organizations, thousands of Haitians can recover from the diseases that are threatening their lives. The salts are part of a solution that is absorbed in the small intestine, replacing the water and electrolytes - the simplest and most effective way to keep people alive during severe episodes of diarrhea.

The salts and pharmaceuticals will be distributed by ADRA Haiti and Food For The Poor, charitable organizations that have identified the areas where the aid is most needed. UNICEF Canada was also a partner.

“Both IRD and UNICEF Canada are committed to improving the lives of children and communities in Haiti," said In-Kind & Community Partnerships for UNICEF Canada manager Stephanie Ashton Smith. "But with collaboration, we can achieve greater results.”