Haiti Earthquake Relief 2010

The Imamia Medics International Assessment and Coordination Team (IMI ACT) was in Haiti from February 25 to March 11th, 2010. The small team was comprised of Farhaj Hassan (EMT) and Sakina Rizvi (then IMI’s Program Coordinator, Haiti & Associate Representative to the United Nations), who liaised with international agencies and IMI’s local contacts, including with the Muslim community in Haiti through Brother Shu’yab (Al Mahdi Center), to complete a rapid assessment of the situation, developed relationships with national and international entities, and coordinated logistics for IMI medical teams.

IMI ACT also distributed medical supplies and other materials to assist the community’s recovery. In addition to Port-au-Prince, IMI ACT visited numerous sites in Haiti, including St. Marc, Pierre Payen, Montrouis, and Patien Payen to the North of Port-au-Prince, Carrefour, and Leoganne to the West of Port-au-Prince, and Cayes Jacmel along the southern coast of Haiti.

IMI ACT was followed closely by IMI’s Medical Team that provided medical assistance through CDRS/SHINE and the Jenkins-Penn Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) in Petitionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, from March 9 to March 17, 2010. The IMI Medical Team was comprised of Dr. Mitra Arjang, Dr. Cassim Degani, Dr. Khatoon Ginwala, Naeema Ginwala, Dr. Alefiyah Mesiwala, and Pras Patcha. Dr. Mahwesh Javed and Muneeb Qadri also joined the team in Haiti. In addition to working at the J/P HRO field hospital that catered to the displaced community of approximately 45,000 (daytime estimates) 75,000 (overnight estimates).

IMI doctors also participated in off-site, mobile clinics set up in nearby communities with JP/HRO including Selina, Carrefour and Cite Soleil, and performed surgeries and provided obstetrics care at Hospital General in Port-au-Prince. Over the course of one afternoon in Selina, about 650 people were triaged and 370 patients received medical care.

In addition to providing assistance on the ground, IMI partnered with other international and local non-profit organizations to facilitate relief efforts. Through the generosity of our donors, IMI provided immediate relief in Haiti in the form of medical supplies that were sent to Haiti through Hope for Haiti, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people and has been helping Haiti for nearly 20 years.

In the United States, IMI also offered psychological support services to those who had lost loved ones and/or colleagues in Haiti. The following mental health professionals participated in this program: Dr. Raihana Beg (PA), Dr. Sofia Feroz (CA), Dr. Aqeel Ahmed Khan (IL), Dr. Aijaz Nanjiani (NJ), Dr. Akhtar Naqvi (DC), and Dr. Sajjad Zaidi (NJ).