Four Years After Hurricane Katrina, a Stronger Safety Net
August 28, 2009
The devastation Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wreaked four years ago revealed a vast unmet need in the U.S. Gulf States for medical care that serves the most vulnerable people. Since the first few days after Katrina hit, Direct Relief has delivered more than $47 million in aid, including $4.6 million in cash grants, to help clinics and health centers caring for more than 1 million people to rebuild, improve their infrastructure, treat more patients, and hire necessary staff.
Our support continues today, providing these facilities with the materials they need to care for their low-income, uninsured patients every day. This support for the healthcare “safety net” in the Gulf States has become increasingly important as the number of uninsured people has grown in the U.S. and these facilities have become a medical lifeline for larger numbers of patients.
Direct Relief has won awards for its response to Katrina and Rita from the Louisiana Primary Care Association and the National Association of Community Health Centers. But the greatest reward is feedback like that from Alice Craft-Kerney, a registered nurse and executive director of the Lower 9th Ward Clinic in New Orleans.
“I will always remember the kindness and support of Direct Relief International during the infancy of the clinic,” Craft-Kerney said in a recent note.“You guys had confidence in us and put the resources in our hands before we even opened the doors. For that, you have my eternal gratitude. We are striving to become more sustainable, but we have a 95% uninsured rate at the clinic.” Watch a CNN video about the Lower 9th Ward Clinic
Katrina and Rita also underscored the need for smart, thorough emergency preparation. In 2007, Direct Relief launched its Hurricane Preparedness Program, which pre-positions medical aid at partner facilities before hurricane season starts in June. The Hurricane Prep Packs—waterproof, portable containers that hold material to treat 100 patients for five days—ensure continuity of care until services return to normal after an emergency. For 2009, packs were prepositioned at 25 sites from Texas to Florida, the most hurricane-prone areas of the U.S.
Through strong partnerships forged during the response to Katrina and beyond, Direct Relief is committed to the long-term recovery: supporting healthcare providers in the U.S. who are working to keep their communities healthy.
|