Archive for category: News

Current world crisis news from CMAT

CMAT Vlog 02 – Dr. Anthony Fong: Loggies 4 the win!

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2020-11-18 – La Entrada, Honduras: A video tribute to the hard work of logisticians that make foreign aid delivery possible. They arrange everything from entry into a country, to packing our thousands of pounds of luggage into units that can be checked in with airlines, to securing drivers and vehicles, to feeding the staff.

CMAT Honduras Deployment Vlog 02

CMAT/ HF Team arrives in Honduras – local roads impassable

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Traffic and Pedestrians are stranded on a major highway which was washed out by Hurricane Iota.

2020-11-17 – La Entrada, Honduras (With special thanks to the HF/CMAT Team Leader Brian Wilson for this update):

“This morning we woke up to find out that all internet into our region was down. This means that we had no wifi, and no cellular data, which is important because these days a LOT of coordination is done using WhatsApp which requires data. We went back to “old school” methods, like SMS messages and calling people… (sheesh, it’s like we were back in the dark ages!)

We requested that CICOM provide us with a police escort to get us the last 2.5 hours into San Pedro Sula. Unfortunately they told us the bridges were not passable. We then sent a team to investigate the situation first-hand, and found that 15 minutes out of town, the only highway was completely flooded. We explored options of trying to find another way, by going further south, but have been told that highway is also impassable.

In the meantime, using SMS to relay messages through another NGO, we confirmed that CICOM knew where we were, and they have now requested that we setup to provide medical clinics in the immediate region until access into San Pedro Sula can be logistically sorted out. We have been contacted by a local medical officer, who stated they would be in contact tomorrow to coordinate our efforts. Below is a short video showing the flooded road as viewed by our Deputy Team Lead, Hassan Naeem. Tomorrow is a new day, and the team looks forward to getting to work while we wait for instructions on how best to reach the hardest hit regions.”

Donate here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42951 or via e-transer/PayPal to [email protected]

CMAT/ Humanity First collaborative EMT departing for Honduras

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November 16, 2020 – Toronto, ON: The CMAT and Humanity First Canada Collaborative Emergency Medical Team gathered in Toronto this evening to prepare for tomorrow’s team deployment to Honduras. Good luck team!! #EMTeams #EMTAmericas

Please Donate here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42951 or via e-transfer/ PayPal at [email protected]

EMERGENCY ALERT: CMAT to deploy medical team to Honduras in response to twin hurricanes.

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November 15, 2020 – San Pedro Sula, Honduras: Less than two weeks after powerful Hurricane Eta killed more than 200 people across Central America, authorities on Saturday warned that tropical storm Iota is likely to wallop coastal areas of Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday as a major hurricane.

In collaboration with our partner Humanity First Canada, and with guidance from the Pan American Health Organization, CMAT will be mobilizing its medical team to the affected region in Northern Honduras in the next 24 to 48 hours, in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Iota.

The Collaborative CMAT/ Humanity First medical team was assembled over the past few days, and together with medical equipment and supplies, will deploy as two EMTs Type 1 Mobile.  Team members due to depart Toronto’s Pearson International Airport in the coming days.

Your support of it critical in this time of need. Please help CMAT and Humanity First provide medical assistance for the Honduran people at this devastating time, when they are most at risk. Donate now, so that together, we can save lives.

Tax-deductible donations gratefully accepted at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42951 or by email transfer or paypal to [email protected]

PRELIMINARY CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST: COVID-19 Response in Armenia

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June 14, 2020:  CMAT has been approached by our EMT colleagues at the Polish Centre for International Aid (PCPM) who have been providing medical assistance in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) for COVID-19 response in Italy and Tajikistan. 

In the coming weeks, at the WHO’s request, PCPM may be shifting their response to the Republic of Armenia, and they have asked CMAT to survey our volunteers for interest in possible collaboration and co-deployment. This deployment is not yet confirmed, but is being proposed for the end of July and August, 2020.  

There is a particular need for expertise in Anaesthesia and Critical/ Intensive Care, particularly for Physicians and Registered Nurses, as well as Respiratory Therapists.  The teams would be supporting the existing health care system in the capital city of Yerevan and possibly beyond. Details are still being worked out.  

If you are interested in potentially deploying to Armenia, please ensure your CMAT profile is up to date with all the required documentation (i.e.  upload a copy of your passport, your professional license, your vaccination record etc.)  Please also send your expression interest (including your speciality and professional experience) by email to:  [email protected]  

Please access your CMAT Profile by visiting: 
https://cmat.ca/volunteer   

To login – use the email address at which this email was received, and you can reset your password by clicking “Forgot password”.  You can refer new volunteers to register under the same link, and then creating a new profile.  

IMPORTANT: the inbound 14-day self-quarantine restriction which has been mandated by the Canadian government may remain in place upon your return. Please take this into consideration when looking at your schedule. Outbound travel would be arranged on commercial airlines to Poland for staging, then connect to chartered military aircraft from Poland to Armenia.  

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.