--------------------------------------------------------
PAHO NEWS: Press Releases, Job Vacancies, and Other
Information from the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) via the Canadian Society for International Health
(CSIH) http://www.csih.org; Technical Representative in
Canada for PAHO
--------------------------------------------------------
PAHO - OAS Joint Statement on the Floods in Venezuela
--------------------------------------------------------
29 December 1999 - Torrential rainfall produced serious
flooding and mudslides that began on December 13-14 and
affected ten states in the northern part of Venezuela,
including its capital, Caracas. National authorities
estimate that more than 20,000 people were killed or have
been reported missing and more than 200,000 have been
affected. More than 4,000 persons are in large temporary
shelters in La Guaira, Caracas, Maracay and Valencia.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is exercising
the coordinating role for the response to the disaster.
In this context, high-level meetings have taken place
with the participation of the Organization of American
States (OAS), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB),
the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on
Agriculture (IICA), the Pan American Development
Foundation (PADF), the Inter-American Defense Board and
the Ambassador of Venezuela to the OAS. The initial
response of the Inter-American System is as follows:
PAHO supplied US$25,000 for immediate health-related
emergency needs. Through its Country Office in Caracas,
the Organization has been collaborating closely with the
Government of Venezuela on epidemiological surveillance
activities, the evaluation of damages to the health
infrastructure and to the health system itself, and to
determine immediate needs in environmental health, water
quality, epidemiological surveillance, mental health, and
other areas of public health.
At the present time, the PAHO Representative in
Venezuela, who was initially acting as the Coordinator of
the United Nations System, is coordinating the response
with the support of disaster specialists,
epidemiologists, sanitary engineers, mental health
professionals and other public health experts who have
been mobilized from throughout the Region as well as
personnel from other agencies. National and
international experts are also providing assistance to
national authorities and the Venezuelan Red Cross on the
management of incoming humanitarian aid. SUMA, the
Humanitarian Supply Management System developed by PAHO,
has been installed to classify, sort, inventory and
prioritize all incoming aid, thus ensuring accountability
and transparency in these operations.
In response to an international appeal made by PAHO the
first few hours, US$730,000 was received from the
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); the
Department for International Development (DFID) of the
United Kingdom; the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster
Assistance (OFDA); and the Swedish International
Development Agency (SIDA).
The OAS Member States met to consider the consequences of
this natural disaster and express their support to
Venezuela, allocating US$20,000 from the Inter-American
Emergency Assistance Fund (FONDEM) for the most urgent
needs and will reprogram additional funds for the
reconstruction phase. They are also mobilizing country
offices in each Member Country to strengthen existing
inter-country agreements to facilitate and make more
effective the humanitarian assistance they send to
Venezuela.
The IDB allocated US$50,000 to the Bank of Venezuela to
be used for transportation and other logistic needs and
US$200 million from already approved loans will be
reprogrammed in order to solve urgent needs for potable
water distribution, epidemiological surveillance and
education, among other areas.
IICA sent an assessment team to support the Ministry of
Agriculture during this phase and also to prepare
reconstruction and food procurement projects. They are
willing to assist in the relocation of the displaced
population.
PADF sent an assessment team, gave a US$25,000 Emergency
Grant to the OAS office in Caracas and has two aid
packages ready consisting of tents, purification tables,
etc., each with a value of US$25,000. They are also
receiving donations from various companies, which have
surpassed US$50.000.
The Inter-American Defense Board is working very closely
with the Venezuelan Civil Defense, the U.S. Southern
Command and the Venezuelan Ministry of Defense and its
agencies to determine the real needs and what elements
are already available in the country.
Updates to the above can be found at http://www.paho.org
and http://www.reliefweb.int
The Government of Venezuela has identified the following
priority areas for assistance in the immediate and the
rehabilitation phases: strengthening the epidemiological
surveillance system; food handling and safety aspects;
safe water and basic sanitation for displaced persons who
might have to remain in temporary shelters for at least
three months; mental health programs; rehabilitation and
reconstruction of infrastructure; management of the
humanitarian aid; communication and other support
equipment.
All Member Agencies of the Inter-American System fully
recognize the key roles performed by the Ambassador of
Venezuela to the OAS and by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
PAHO and the OAS convey their condolences to the
Government and the People of Venezuela and reassure them
that all possible efforts are being made to assist them
during this crisis.
--------------------------------------------------------
PAHO has updated information on its web site on the
situation in Venezuela at
http://www.paho.org/english/ped/pedhome.htm
--------------------------------------------------------
This document is available, with full formatting and
accents, at http://www.csih.org/paho_ndx.html
|
