Sean Penn is calling on doctor’s around the world to help end the cholera outbreak currently raging in Haiti.
“The current cholera epidemic in Haiti has affected over 7,000 Haitians and killed nearly 500 over the past few weeks,” he writes. "Dire sanitation conditions in camps throughout Port-Au-Prince make the dense population more vulnerable to this disease than ever before.
“J/P HRO NEEDS MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN THE FIGHT: We need at least 14 medics per week to support and continue our cholera-targeted medical operations. Licensed medical personnel who are flexible, resilient, resourceful, and comfortable working in an austere environment are encouraged to join our team.
“This work is first and foremost about saving lives… so we are looking for people who can manage these roles well in a high stress emergency environment. If you are a medical volunteer who can make this commitment, you WILL make a difference.”
Aid against the current cholera epidemic has been hampered by Hurricane Tomas, which hit Haiti last week.
“Hurricane Tomas further exacerbated the challenges of accessing and accounting for cholera’s reach in rural areas, and the outlook is grim. Reports from volunteers and staff working around the clock to save lives in abysmal conditions suggest this epidemic is still far from stabilising.
“Clean water is essential. Immediate relief and emergency resources will be in demand until this disease is contained. However, we can’t effectively treat and eradicate this cholera epidemic if we don’t simultaneously improve the conditions that cause it. This deadly epidemic highlights the serious need to invest in long-term improvements for Haiti.
“Not able to volunteer? Make a contribution to J/P HRO… every dollar of your contribution goes directly to helping the people of Haiti. Start fundraising for J/P HRO (or) donate Supplies.”
J/P HRO – or the J/P Haitian Relief Organization – was set up by Sean Penn to save lives and bring relief to the Haitian people quickly and effectively.
The organization was built to support the needs of hospitals, government, religious and community organizations, and works in tandem with U.S. government organizations, (including the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne and the U.S. State Department ), other charitable and non-governmental organizations and receives international support. Because J/P HRO operates with virtually no administrative overhead and has an army of volunteers, nearly all contributions go directly to the people who need it. In addition, J/P HRO currently employs nearly 100 Haitians including translators, security, drivers, doctors, nurses.
