VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (January 19, 2010) - Operation Blessing International (OBI) is deploying a team of Spanish-speaking doctors from El Salvador to the Dominican Republic today in order to help hospitals and medical camps on the border with Haiti that have been flooded with victims from the Haiti earthquake.
The team, which will arrive tonight, consists of eight doctors whose specialties include abdominal surgery, public health, orthopedic surgery, family medicine, pharmacy, pediatrics, plastic surgery and internal medicine. Tomorrow morning they will travel by military vehicles to the Haitian border, where local hospitals and medical camps set up by the government have been overrun with victims from the earthquake.
Jordan Durso, OBI's regional director in Latin America, is coordinating the effort with authorities in the Dominican Republic, who will send the team to where the need is greatest. Durso anticipates being deployed to the town of Jimani, the main gateway to Haiti where many wounded are arriving.
OBI has been working to help the people of Haiti since May, 2009 and had staff on the ground when the earthquake hit. The charity mobilized its international disaster relief team under the direction of David Darg, who arrived on Friday (Jan. 15th). The charity has been involved in a number of efforts including sourcing trucks to break the logistical logjam at the airport, delivering search and rescue teams to the quake zone, repairing and servicing a reverse osmosis water treatment plant at Haiti's largest hospital, as well as setting up a makeshift medical clinic with a team of 12 doctors from IsraAID (www.israaid.org.il) in the local soccer stadium. OBI has also loaded 291 tons (16 truck loads) of critical relief supplies, including ten high-production water purification plants, onto the US Navy ship Sacagawea that will depart for Haiti today.
Operation Blessing International will send 100% of all money donated directly to the Haiti relief effort. To donate money or for more information on Operation Blessing International's efforts please log on to www.ob.org or http://www.myowneyes.org/
ABOUT OPERATION BLESSING INTERNATIONAL:
Operation Blessing International (OBI) is one of the largest charities in America, providing strategic disaster relief, medical aid, hunger relief, clean water and community development in 22 countries around the world on a daily basis. In 2009, OBI was awarded Charity Navigator's coveted 4 star rating for sound fiscal management for the fifth year in a row, a feat that only 4% of rated charities have ever achieved. Forbes, which currently ranks OBI as one of "America's 200 Largest Charities" as well as one of "America's Most Efficient Charities," awarded OBI a perfect 100% rating in fundraising efficiency and 99% efficiency in charitable commitment. Additionally, the Chronicle of Philanthropy currently ranks OBI as the 39th largest charity and the 7th largest international charity. Founded in 1978, Operation Blessing International has touched the lives of more than 215 million people in more than 105 countries and 50 states, providing goods and services valued at over $2.1 billion to date.
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