Haiti needs our help

An Albany charity is worried about the plight of disabled people in Haiti following the severe earthquake there.

CBM, formerly known as Christian Blind Mission, is dedicated to improving life for the world's poorest disabled people.

The charity has had services in Haiti for 30 years.

The New Zealand branch of the charity - based in Albany - put the North Harbour News in touch with international emergency co-ordinator Valerie Scherrer in Haiti.

She is in the area trying to find out if disabled people who were in the earthquake are getting suitable care.

Most of the organisation's facilities were destroyed in the earthquake.

In the meantime Ms Scherrer is working in a CBM hospital just outside of Port-au-Prince helping wounded
victims.

"The hospital is bursting and overrun. There are people lying on the floor outside the hospital," she says.

CBM took medical equipment, food and water to Haiti when it travelled to the devastated city after the earthquake on January 13.

The organisation has three hospitals based in Port-au-Prince, Grace Children's Hospital, an eye department within a university hospital, and a centre of special education for disabled children.

There were about 50,000 people in the area using the facilities. All of the places were damaged. The worst hit was the children's centre which will be demolished.

Two CBM staff members died inside the centre when the earthquake hit.

Ms Scherrer says CBM hopes it can rebuild the centres because now there will be more people with disabilities in the area in need of care.

If you would like to help CBM and the people of Haiti you can donate to the New Zealand appeal by phoning 0800-77-22-64.

- © Fairfax NZ News