The Spanish hospital ship is in Petit-Goave (Haiti)
(BRUSSELS2) After a fifteen-day crossing, the Spanish army hospital ship, Castilla is now hard at work in Petit-Goave, a town in Haiti where international relief efforts have so far been more limited. A unit of 18 heavy vehicles was landed using the barge. The ship remaining anchored offshore. They will be able to be used, from tomorrow Sunday, to clear the rubble in the city, announces the General Staff of the Spanish navy.
A reconnaissance team has gone to explore the roads and clearance needs. First priority: clear the roads leading to the port. Work starts tomorrow. She was also able to locate a location for the future base camp, in a fenced plot donated by the city's municipal council, not far from the small quay of the port and connected to it by one of the main streets of the city. To level the ground and prepare it, Castilla's marines and machinery will need about six days, according to the captain. Another job for the genius: clearing the Church, a symbolic place for the population, the vast majority of whom are Catholic.
The medical support group, for its part, carried out an initial assessment to detect the needs of the various primary care centers and other improvised care posts. " The damage caused by the earthquake of January 12 and its aftershock of the 20 seriously damaged the health structures”. And the needs remain great: post-surgery care and immediately after emergency treatment. The on-board medical care unit (USAEMB) will pay attention in the first place to the inhabitants of the Westleyenne health post. While the “the most serious cases will be transferred for treatment to the hospital on board Castilla”.
(photo credit: Castilla / Spanish Navy)