CMAT and Humanity First Canada partner to respond to Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Honduras.

2020-11-16 – TORONTO, ONTARIO – Canadian Medical Assistance Team announces a collaboration with Humanity First Canada in response to Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Central America. The Emergency Medical Team of 10 volunteer health professionals from both CMAT and Humanity First were deployed to help the people of Honduras in response to the two hurricanes which stuck northern Honduras less than two weeks apart. Earlier today, Hurricane Iota reached a catastrophic Category 5, and is taking a similar path to the powerful Hurricane Eta, which killed more than 200 people across Central America last week.

Responding to the request of PAHO (The Pan American Health Organization) and the Honduran Ministry of Health, a joint EMT 1 team consisting of physicians, nurse practitioners, midwife and logisticians will arrive in San Pedro Sula to provide primary health care and emergency care. The team will consist of two mobile medical units which will visit outlying communities affected by the hurricanes.

The CMAT and Humanity First Emergency Medical Team departed from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport for Honduras this afternoon, with medical equipment and supplies, water purification systems and other emergency supplies.

Media Contact:

Valerie Rzepka, Executive Director – Canadian Medical Assistance Teams 1-855-637-9111 or [email protected]

About Canadian Medical Assistance Teams:

Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT) is a non-profit disaster relief organization comprised of health professionals and non-medical volunteers who selflessly give their time to assist and provide relief aid to the victims of natural and man-made disasters around the world. Established in December 2004, CMAT has earned a reputation as an important partner agency of the World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization.

CMAT teams have responded to numerous crisis situations around the world including the Indian Ocean Tsunami, typhoons and flooding in Bangladesh and the Philippines, and earthquakes in Pakistan, China, Haiti, and Nepal. CMAT has accumulated a database of over 1000 skilled volunteer health professionals from across Canada.

For more information please visit www.canadianmedicalteams.org Canadian Charitable Registration # 88439 3315 RR0001

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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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Map courtesy of National Hurricane Center

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.

2020 Hurricane Eta: Facts and how to help | World Vision
A scene in Honduras, where people are left homeless after Hurricane Eta. “They are sleeping in nylon bags, which they use as a roof as well. The only clothes they have are the ones that they were wearing at the moment they had to leave,” says Rafael Zaldívar, a World Vision staff member in Honduras. (Photo ©2020 World Vision/photo by Rafael Zaldívar)

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. Image may contain: one or more people