More than 11,000 people now have their
lives "on hold" in three refugee camps. Others camp under trees
outside what's left of their homes. They wait for assistance, because there's
no place to go. These homeless people must deal with the lack of food and
clean water, poor hygiene and the spread of water-borne diseases. Nights
are cold.
"It's a perfect environment for
severe disease outbreaks," says Marti Simpson, team leader. "Health
conditions in these rural areas were less-than-adequate before the quake.
Now there are even greater needs and urgency to the situation." Simpson
is a nurse practitioner from Tucson, Ariz. She has led Northwest Medical
Teams volunteers into several disaster relief situations in the past two
years.
To make matters worse, a second deadly quake struck February 13, and a nearby volcano has begun to spew lava adding the smell of sulfur to the already-repugnant air.
Local Partner Lays The Foundation
The first group of Northwest Medical Teams volunteers arrived in El Salvador within days after the quake. The Salvadoran Association for Rural Health (ASAPROSAR), a local partner agency, helped the team evaluate immediate needs and conduct clinics.
The team quickly developed a strategy to reach those in greatest need. Others moved south to hard-hit areas near the two quake epicenters. They ordered a second shipment of medical supplies to supplement the more than $135,000 worth of supplies that were shipped the week of the quake. Four teams now have gone to extend compassion and care.
Some team members worked with ASAPROSAR in Santa Ana (at the base of the now-active volcano) to help their 20 health promoters treat people and deal with trauma.
Teams Bring Hope To The Hopeless
Through Northwest Medical Teams, medical volunteers from throughout the Pacific Northwest are serving victims and offering encouragement, hope and medical attention. Despite the tragedy, this demonstration of love is touching precious lives in El Salvador.
=A9 2000-2001 Northwest Medical Teams International Inc.