Published Thursday, 12 January 2012
Around 300,000 people died and more than two million were left homeless after the Caribbean country was rocked by a magnitude seven quake on 12 January, 2010.
Dr Anne Wilson and a team of 10 local healthcare professionals spent a week with Tearfund partner agencies providing care for those who survived, training volunteers and staff.
She has now returned to update MEP Jim Nicholson about the ongoing relief response to what was one of the world's biggest humanitarian catastrophes.
"When we arrived and saw that so many people were still living in camps it first appeared that little had been done," said Anne, a consultant in health protection.
"When we met survivors, however, we began to appreciate the complexities of disaster response in a country where the infrastructure has been all but wiped out by the earthquake.
"We also saw the difference which agencies like Tearfund and their partners are making in helping local people rebuild their lives in challenging circumstances."
During their visit, the NI team delivered seminars to staff, student nurses and community volunteers on issues including public health, nutrition, environmental health and post traumatic stress.
GPs also gave support to outpatient clinics and an anaesthetist worked in theatres.
Mr Nicholson, who visited Haiti in August 2010, said the efforts are vitally important for the country's long-term reconstruction.
He said: "I see it as essential that local structures and partnerships are put in place on the ground to deal with the long term problems that Haiti faces as it begins to focus on reconstruction.
"I am eager to see development and disaster response delivered by the EU alongside partners such as Tearfund which are focused on the specific needs of the local communities."
Anne shared her memories of some of the work carried out by the team on the trip.
"As someone who raised support for the earthquake appeal myself, I feel privileged to have seen firsthand how it has helped survivors rebuild their homes, schools and livelihoods," she recounted.
"I'll never forget one woman who was HIV positive and whose husband died in the earthquake. Tearfund was helping her to access ARV medicine and assisting her four children to go to school.
"She said with a smile on her face 'Tearfund has helped me laugh again."