Overview:
Haiti has deployed a 31-member volunteer medical mission to Venezuela after twin earthquakes killed nearly 4,000 people. The team arrived with 5.5 tons of medical supplies and will spend up to three weeks providing emergency care as part of a humanitarian response funded by Haiti.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti has deployed a 31-member volunteer medical mission to Venezuela, sending doctors, surgeons and emergency specialists to assist Venezuela, devastated by twin earthquakes, even as the country continues to face its own humanitarian and security crises.
“This mission reflects the excellence of the longstanding historical ties between Haiti and Venezuela,” the government said in a statement.
The delegation left Haiti on July 7 and arrived in Venezuela the following day carrying 5.5 tons of medical supplies and equipment. Officials said the team will remain in the country for 15 to 22 days to provide emergency medical care alongside international relief workers..
Before the delegation departed from Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Health Minister Sinal Bertrand said Haitian medical personnel would support emergency care efforts alongside international rescue teams already working in Venezuela.
Members of Haiti’s government with the 31-person volunteer medical mission prepare to board a flight to Venezuela on July 7, carrying 5.5 tons of medical supplies to assist communities affected by twin earthquakes.
The earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24 just 39 seconds apart, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. The quakes caused widespread destruction in northern Venezuela, including Caracas and the coastal city of Caraballeda in La Guaira state, where entire neighborhoods were flattened.
Government figures released July 8 reported 3,811 deaths, 16,740 injuries and more than 58,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. Nearly 18,000 people remain displaced, while the United Nations estimates about 50,000 people are still missing.
“As a nation that has also endured the devastation of natural disasters, Haiti understands the suffering of peoples affected by tragedy and, despite its own challenges, has chosen to extend a helping hand to a friendly nation.”
Haitian government
The Prime Minister’s Office said Venezuela requested assistance after Haiti offered support, reflecting what officials described as the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
“As a nation that has also endured the devastation of natural disasters, Haiti understands the suffering of peoples affected by tragedy and, despite its own challenges, has chosen to extend a helping hand to a friendly nation.”
Officials described the deployment as an act of solidarity rooted in decades of diplomatic cooperation between Haiti and Venezuela.
Medical supplies are loaded onto trailers beside a plane at Toussaint Louverture International Airport before Haiti’s volunteer medical mission departed for Venezuela on July 7. The shipment included 5.5 tons of equipment and supplies for communities affected by the country’s devastating earthquakes. Photo courtesy of the Haitian government. Photo via Ministry of Public Health and Population facebook page
“Over the years, the two peoples have built a partnership based on mutual respect, cooperation and sincere friendship,” the Haitian government said.
Bertrand declined to disclose the mission’s cost but said Haiti would finance the deployment so it would not create any financial burden for Venezuela. He added that the delegation will cover its own lodging and transportation expenses and thanked members of the Haitian diaspora for supporting the effort.
“Through this gesture, Haiti reaffirms a deep conviction: in the face of suffering, borders fade away and solidarity becomes a duty,” the Haitian health minister said. “Through this medical delegation, the Haitian people express their compassion, affection and support for the Venezuelan people.”
