World Vision has delivered its first shipments of medical supplies since the political crisis in Haiti began last month. On Sunday, emergency medical kits were airlifted to hospitals in Milot, near Cap Haitien in the north, and Hinche, in the Central Plateau region, as part of World Vision's emergency response program.

"We are really grateful to World Vision for this help as we only had two weeks worth of supplies left," said one of the Catholic nuns at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Milot. The 54-bed hospital gives priority to the poor from the surrounding region.

The supplies included eye medication, local anesthetics, anti-inflammatories, surgical gloves, syringes, feeding tubes, pediatric scales and water filters, among other items.

"Normally, the majority of hospitals and health centres don't have much stock and in times of crisis, it just gets worse," said World Vision Haiti health coordinator Dr. Lesly Michaud. "Health facilities particularly need medicine to fight infections such as typhoid and malaria that have arisen as a result of food and water contamination."

Haitians usually pay for their medical care, so the fact that these supplies were donated means many people will be able to receive the treatment they are unable to afford.

Soaring prices for food, fuel, transportation, soap and other supplies continue to be a problem in the Central Plateau. World Vision staff has heard complaints that poor Haitians cannot afford to feed their children. Farmers who cannot get to market have seen their produce spoil; others have begun selling their livestock to make a little money or have turned to eating next season's seed stock.

World Vision plans to inject cash into rural communities through a road rehabilitation project. The goal is to provide temporary employment for 3,600 people.

The current crisis in Haiti has reduced access to health care, food, shelter, education and information, a situation which is particularly hard on children. World Vision is conducting a rapid assessment of its five areas of operation, in conjunction with the United Nations and other international NGOs, to determine the impact the situation has had on children.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian relief and development organization active in more than 90 countries around the world, providing help to more than 85 million people each year.