Project HOPE Responds to Deadly Mozambique Cyclone
“Cyclone Idai was deadly. If we don’t act now, the aftermath will be deadlier.”
This press release has been updated.
Millwood, Virginia (March 20, 2019) – Project HOPE is on the ground in Mozambique working as quickly as possible to gather urgently needed medical supplies and provide health services to survivors of deadly Cyclone Idai, which hit the country late last week. HOPE emergency-response experts and several Portuguese-speaking doctor and nurse volunteers are deploying to the country.
“We’re five days into this crisis and it’s only now that the world is beginning to understand the scale of the devastation. We don’t even know how many people are without shelter,” says Chris Skopec, Executive Vice President of Global Health at Project HOPE. “The storm was deadly. If we don’t act now, the aftermath will be deadlier.”
In the longer term, the global health organization anticipates meeting urgent health-care needs through mobile and fixed health clinics; working quickly to provide access to clean drinking water; constructing emergency latrines to stave the spread of disease; and training communities on hygiene and sanitation.
Project HOPE has been on the ground in Mozambique since 1997 implementing critically needed health programs. The organization responded to heavy floods in 2000 by delivering more than $5 million in pharmaceuticals and medical supplies and helping establish a rapid response system in Zambezia. To support our response in Mozambique, visit projecthope.org/Mozambique.
About PROJECT HOPE
Founded in 1958, Project HOPE is a leader in global health and humanitarian relief programs. An international non-profit organization, we are committed to transforming lives and uplifting communities by empowering health care workers to teach and deliver innovative, lifesaving solutions, every day and in times of crisis. With programs in nearly 30 countries, we work at the epicenter of today’s greatest health challenges including infectious and noncommunicable diseases; disasters and health crises; maternal, neonatal and child health; and the policies that impact how health care is delivered. Learn more at www.projecthope.org.
Contact:
Christine Nyirjesy Bragale
Head of Public Engagement
+ 1 (301) 928-9536