Crisis Alert: We are responding to Hurricane Helene

Ecuador Earthquake

STATUS: Past Emergencies

DATE: April 2016

REGION: Ecuador

Destruction & Recovery

In April 2016, the strongest earthquake to hit the country since 1979 struck coastal Ecuador with an impact felt hundreds of miles inland. Entire communities were flattened, hundreds died and thousands of people were in immediate need of shelter. Hospitals sustained damage and patients had to be transferred to inland communities for care. Americares emergency team responded immediately with help for survivors, including support for psychological services, along with emergency relief supplies. Then the team got to work on restoring health services. Watch the video and see some of the work.

Our Early Response

Americares emergency teams worked with local health care partners and medical outreach teams in the region to deliver and distribute medicine and relief supplies, particularly to more remote areas. Emergency shipments of 32 tons of medicine, medical supplies and family emergency kits from Americares have arrived in Ecuador. These shipments helped to resupply hospitals and clinics damaged by the earthquake. In addition, the team coordinated with Ministry of Health officials in early psychosocial support efforts to help displaced families struggling in the aftermath of the 7.8-magnitude quake which also produced hundreds of aftershocks.

After the emergency team evaluated damaged health facilities and other possible recovery needs, Americares worked with a local partner to reach 1,200 diabetics displaced by the earthquake in order to provide medicines and medical services.

A chance for kids to be kids in the aftermath of a traumatic disaster.

First Steps to Recovery

Americares reached an agreement with the Ministry of Health to provide a transitional hospital in Pedernales, a town with a significant need for medical services. Our six-bay hospital arrived in Ecuador in mid-September and has been full functional since then. The hospital is staffed and furnished by officials from the Ministry of Public Health and providing emergency, general and maternal health services. The transitional facility, named Centro de Salud Tipo B de Pedernales, is meeting the immediate health care needs of local residents until construction of a permanent hospital is completed. Through the end of 2016, the facility had received more than 7,800 unique patient visits and performed 84 deliveries.

700,000

More than 700,000 people were affected by the massive quake, with thousands of buildings and dozens of health facilities damaged or destroyed.

“Our emergency shipments will help ensure medical professionals have the tools they need to continue providing care even in the most challenging circumstances.”

Kate Dischino, Emergency Response Director

Our Emergency team assessing a damaged hospital

A second shipment of medicine and supplies arrives in country

Providing clean and safe water is always a challenge in the early days of a disaster response

Duration:

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