Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, July 10 – The United States continues to work with and support the Directorate for Civil Protection and the Haitian National Police so that they can provide a higher level of service to the Haitian people should natural disaster strike. Ambassador Michele Sison joined key Haitian government officials including the Minister of the Interior Marie Raynaldo Brunet, the Minister of Justice Jean Roudy Aly, the Director of the Directorate for Civil Protection Jerry Chandler and the Director General of the Haitian National Police, Michel Ange Gédéon, to hand over health-service equipment to the Directorate for Civil Protection and the Haitian National Police Hospital in Bon Repos, respectively. U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program donations included equipment such as operating tables, hospital beds, generators, other disaster relief materials, and a military truck. “These materials and equipment enhance services that the Directorate for Civil Protection coordinates and provides” noted Dr. Chandler lamenting that Port au Prince has already experienced loss of life in the 2019 rainy season.
Dozens of beds, operating and treatment tables and additional equipment were also provided to the Haitian National Police hospital. Ambassador Sison stated “As we look forward to the upcoming U.S. Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort mission visit to Haiti this November, we hope these generators and health-service equipment will be able to be utilized to support medical care to the people of Haiti.” The USNS Comfort will conduct mission stops throughout Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Director General Gédéon noted that “a healthy police force remains a critical requirement for the police to be able to maintain order and security throughout the nation” as he looks forward to opening the hospital site to the USNS Comfort mission visit.
In Haiti, the U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program has facilitated and funded the construction of ten emergency operation centers, ten disaster relief warehouses, and 12 modern fire stations throughout the country. The United States remains committed to partnering with Haiti to increase its capacity to respond to natural disasters and to help support a more resilient Haiti.
