PAHO NEWS:  Press Releases, Job Vacancies, and Other Information from the 
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) via the Canadian Society for 
International Health (CSIH) [log in to unmask]; Technical Representative in 
Canada for PAHO
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PAHO Working with Affected Communities in Central America
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Washington, November 10, 1998- Pan American Health Organization experts 
working with affected communities in Central America after Hurricane Mitch 
say the top priorities are providing safe water and adequate sanitation, 
ensuring close surveillance of communicable disease, and rebuilding health 
services, especially for thousands of people located in temporary shelters.
     

PAHO experts say that although the risk of dengue, malaria, cholera and 
other diseases has increased, there are, contrary to rumors, no epidemics 
resulting from Hurricane Mitch. Measures recommended by PAHO/WHO include: 
health education, sanitation and water supply, and vector control."Provided 
they receive generous material support from the international community, 
the affected countries have the necessary experience to control the 
epidemiological situation," said Dr. Claude de Ville, chief of
PAHO's Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Program. He urged public 
health related humanitarian and non-government organizations to coordinate 
and consult with the local PAHO/WHO Offices to ensure a common strategy.In 
Honduras, where more than 1.9 million were affected, some 7,000 people have 
died, 6,000 have disappeared, 11,000 are wounded and more than 30,000 
families are homeless, PAHO officials are working to reestablish water 
supplies and strengthen disease surveillance.  Immediate priorities in 
Honduras also include acquiring essential drugs and vaccines, disseminating 
educational health messages, improving sanitary conditions in shelters, and 
reestablishing the network of health services throughout the country. 
Honduran officials say urgent needs still include Bailey
bridges, food, water and medicines.PAHO is also working on control of 
mosquitoes and other disease vectors, promotion of safe food handling in 
shelters and affected areas, and mental health for people affected by the 
disaster. The Organization is working with Honduras in damage evaluation 
and reconstruction project design,and in the Relief Supplies Management 
Project (SUMA) to help sort,classify, track and report on donations. The 
SUMA system helps authorities and aid agencies manage large quantities of 
supplies, which often pose serious logistic and management problems for 
national authorities, while remaining transparent and accountable. SUMA 
began as a PAHO/WHO technical cooperation project in Latin America and the 
Caribbean in 1990 and has since trained 1400 officers in more than 30 
countries in the Americas and in other regions of the world have received 
training. 
     
In Nicaragua, where 800,000 people were affected, 1,848 people have died, 
1,287 are missing, and 228 are injured, PAHO is working with national 
officials to coordinate disaster response, assess damages, and prepare 
reconstruction plans.  Nicaragua has asked humanitarian agencies for
food, clothing, medicine and shelter.  PAHO Disaster experts are 
emphasizing the need for disease surveillance, control of disease vectors 
such as mosquitoes, drinking water supplies and environmental sanitation 
measures, and acquisition of medicaments and other essential supplies.PAHO, 
which also serves as the regional office for the Americas of the World 
Health Organization, works with all the countries in the Americas to 
improve health and raise living standards. 
     
For further information contact: Daniel Epstein, tel (202) 974-3459,fax 
(202) 974-3143,
Office of Public Information, PAHO, http://www.paho.org.
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List of Internet sites on Hurricane Mitch
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Below is a list of Internet sites that provide updated information on 
Hurricane Mitch. Also available on PAHO's web site is the publication 
"International Health Relief Assistance: A Guide For Effective Aid",
http://www.paho.org/english/ped/peddeal.htm- look under "Dealing With 
Disasters" and then go to "Guidelines".

Honduras:http://www.gbm.hn/Government of Honduras, Office of the President

http://www.copeco.hondunet.net/index.html
COPECO, the Permanent Emergency Commission
http://www.hondudata.com/mitch/danos_content.htm
http://www.hondudata.com/
Summary Data on Hurricane Mitch
Sources:  CODER, COPECO y SETCO.

http://www.hondudata.com/mitch/mapas/division.htm
http://www.soshonduras.hn
Maps

Nicaragua:
http://www.ops.org.ni/desastre/indexnew.htm
PAHO Office in Nicaragua

Costa Rica:
http://www.cne.go.cr
Comisión Nacional de Emergencias

Other Sources of Information:
http://wwwnotes.reliefweb.int/
UN ReliefWeb

http://www.paho.org/english/media.htm
PAHO's Department of Public Information- Press Releases

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