People who are ill or injured must be allowed to seek medical attention freely, without discrimination, at all times and in all circumstances.
Health-care workers, and medical vehicles and facilities must never be hindered in their work to prevent and alleviate human suffering, wherever it is found; nor must they be prevented from safeguarding lives and health and ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect.
In line with the fundamental principle of humanity -meant to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the all persons-, ambulances and medical facilities, first responders, including volunteers and medical personnel, as well as the Red Cross emblem, must be respected in Haiti.
The HRC, ICRC and IFRC are part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a neutral, impartial and independent network whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect without discrimination the lives and dignity of those who face disasters and crises, health and social problems, and conflict or other situations of violence, and to provide them with assistance whenever necessary.
For further information, please contact:
Yvon Leclerc, Haiti Red Cross, tel : +509 44745489
James Peterson Joachim, ICRC – Mission in Haïti, tel : +509 4645 6038
Susana Arroyo, IFRC – Regional Office for the Americas, tel : +507 6999 3199
