Connecticut relief agencies join forces to deliver medical aid

Save the Children and AmeriCares have partnered to bring medical aid to more than 85,000 Haitians affected by the earthquake. Westport-based Save the Children's emergency response team in Haiti has distributed more than 16.5 tons of medical supplies in the town of Leogane and at the general hospital in Port-au-Prince – supplies donated by AmeriCares, the global health and disaster relief organization based in Stamford, Conn.

"The situation is still dire and children remain the most vulnerable part of the population during emergencies of this magnitude," said Carolyn Miles, Chief Operating Officer of Save the Children. "But with the help of our long-time partner, AmeriCares, our health team is getting medical treatment to thousands of children and their families."

"Haitian hospitals had little to begin with, but now they have nothing – no pain medicines for patients with trauma injuries and no anesthesia for patients who need surgery," said Elizabeth Furst Frank, Senior Vice President of Global Programs for AmeriCares. "AmeriCares is proud to deliver lifesaving medicines and supplies to our health care partner, Save the Children. Our work together will benefit earthquake survivors in the days, weeks and months ahead."

With the death toll feared to be in excess of 100,000 lives, the earthquake that rocked the impoverished island nation 11 days ago is the worst in modern Haiti history. Save the Children currently has four mobile health teams in operation and its mobile clinic in Leogane is treating 100 people each day.

Carolyn Miles, Chief Operating Officer of Save the Children and Christoph Gorder, Vice President of Emergency Response for AmeriCares are available for interviews.