Much needed medications are provided to the residents of Gran Ravine in Haiti by one of our medical relief workers.

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The Uncertainty Continues

One-and-a-half months later, we still find ourselves fighting with customs agents and other government officials as we try to get our container full of medical supplies to the people of Haiti.  We have been told that we are lacking certain paperwork and the Civil Defense Ministry, who is in charge of clearing any donations coming into Haiti, has informed us that there is a 3-month backlog of containers awaiting approval.  Moreover, the costs associated with holding the container at the port have risen to over $6,000 and they continue to climb each day.  These medical supplies were a donation from Direct Relief and we do not have enough funds to buy new medications in case they expire or we are unable to use them.  Hundreds of thousands of Haitians are needlessly suffering as they succumb to infections and diseases that can be cured/prevented with the very same supplies that are being held in our container.   The Ministry of Finance was supposed to grant us a permit but has since decided to withdraw their offer and refuses to receive any new documents since they are in the process of moving their office.  We have been receiving help from the Minisetere des Hatiens Vivant a L´etrange M.H.A.V.E. (Ministry of Ex-Patriated Haitians) but as of right now we are running out of options and our backs are against the wall.  We have been told that some of the blame for this delay has been placed on corrupt activities that are taking place at the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  We fully understand that Haitian officials want to curb this activity, yet at the same time we feel that it is unfair for us to be penalized on the basis of other people´s illegal actions.  MOSCTHA has years of experience when it comes to supplying direct aid to Haiti and we have always followed all international laws/ regulations.  Furthermore, while we lose both funds and person-time in combating this issue, the Haitian people are paying a far higher price; their lives.

Executive Director Edison Suero and Director and coordinator Patrick Cherubin working to get the container out of Haitian customs

Our truck full with medical supplies being held at the main port in Port Au Prince

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Patrick Cherubin

We would like to dedicate this entry to commend MOSCTHA’s Director in Haiti, Patrick Cherubin for his remarkable work. Patrick is a dedicated, hardworking employee who served six years as a human rights advocate and community development worker for Haitian immigrants in bateys of the Dominican Republic. Being born and raised in Haiti, Patrick had been actively involved with our work in Port au Prince since 2007, and after the January 12 earthquake he has played a key role in coordinating MOSCTHA’s Relief Efforts.  Passionate about humanitarian work and devoted to his job and family, Patrick Cherubin is an example of Haitian youth being engaged in rebuilding Haiti and to us, an invaluable part of MOSCTHA’s family.

XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010)

We at MOSCTHA are proud to have participated for the second time in the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) held in Vienna, Austria, July 18-23. This conference is the most important international gathering for those working in the field of HIV, policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is considered an opportunity to assess where we are, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and create new strategies aimed at combating the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Our delegates to the event were MOSCTHA USA Director, Edison Suero and MOSCTHA’s Health Programs Director in the Dominican Republic, Tony Contreras.  We hope that by attending the conference MOSCTHA was able to form new contacts that can open the door to future collaborations on projects related to HIV/AIDS and public health in general. We also expect to bring back with us the all the knowledge we obtained in this conference and use it to empower the people in the communities where we work, and help improves our current sexual health and awareness programs.

Executive Director Edison Suero and Health Director Tony Contreras

Hundreds of people protests at the opening ceremony

Youth demand their rights

Thousands march through Vienna's city centre demanding more respect for human rights

A woman has her blood pressure checked at a mobile medical clinic in the village of Gran Ravine Haiti. Gran Ravine, one of the most lawless and dangerous regions of Haiti, was virtually ignored by all NGO's following the January 12, 2010 earthquake, with the exception of MOSCTHA

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