More Aid Arrives in Haiti from the UK

Flights have already begun leaving from the UK to bring much-needed aid to Haiti carrying antibiotics, anti-fungals, and pain killers. Other supplies are also en route to the devastated country.

Most of the medical supplies are items that have been specifically asked for from Haitian authorities, according to organisers.

Pharmecutical companies in the UK have thus far pledged £5.6m in donations, including the much-needed drug supplies. So far Haiti has received a total of £38m from the UK in aid, said the Disasters Emergency Committee. The flight, carrying the supplies, left from Newquay near Cornwall last Wednesday and arrivedi n Haiti the following Thursday afternoon.

Save the Children, just one of the UK charities on the scene in Haiti, has established supervised areas for children to play in the makeshift camps that have been constructed for the million people left homeless by the quake.

Other supplies which have been brought over from the UK include toilet facilities and water treatment kits which were donated by the Red Cross based in Warmley in South Gloucestershire. Those supplies also arrived on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Red Cross added that the organisation had also included pamphlets offering advice on how to reduce the risks of illness while cooking as well as other general hygiene measures.