Medical Teams International Responds to Cholera Outbreak in Haiti

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PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 26, 2010)—250 people have died and more than 3,100 people are suffering with Cholera in Haiti. Medical Teams International has sent an eight-person team who arrived today and will send a second team to Haiti starting Wed., Oct. 27. The teams will respond to this cholera crisis.

Up to 30 volunteer medical professionals, organized by Medical Teams International’s Haiti field office are living in tents on a beach near the cholera-infected area. Medical Teams International is working in four hospitals in order to provide quality care to people suffering from cholera.

Dr. Yodi Alakija, a cholera specialist for the U.S. teamed up with Medical Teams International to conduct a local radio broadcast for communities on how to prevent contracting and spreading cholera. Education prevention is very important as there is a growing fear that cholera will spread into the many displaced people camps in and around Port-au-Prince following the devastating earthquake.

Details about team leaving this week:
• JON BIRD, MD
        - resident of Farmington, MO
        - specialties: Emergency Services, Family Practice
• LOU INGRISANO, Certified Physician's Assistant
        - resident of Mount Desert, ME
• SUE PRULLAGE, RN
        - resident of Alton, IL
        - specialty: Neonatal
• COLIN O'REARDON, PARAMEDIC
        - resident of Portland, Ore.
• JESSE HELLWEGE, PARAMEDIC
        - resident of Portland, Ore. 

Medical Teams International is a Christian global health organization that empowers communities to live full and healthy lives. They work with grassroots organizations, churches and ministries of health to ensure that our projects fit seamlessly into local contexts. Since 1979, Medical Teams International has shipped more than $1.4 billion in antibiotics, surgical kits and lifesaving medicines to care for 25 million people in 100 countries around the world. More than 2,000 volunteers meet the needs of people worldwide each year.

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Contact: 
Marlene Minor   
503.341.6620 (media cell) 
mminor@medicalteams.org         

Megan Streng
503.624.1022
mstreng@medicalteams.org

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