In Haiti, Could Twitter and Other Mobile Medical Technology Drive Disaster Response?
As international relief efforts ramp up in Haiti, we are reminded of how fragile society is in many parts of the world. With shanty towns scattered around Port-au-Prince, a health and public services infrastructure devastated by years of natural and human disasters, and a centralized leadership that was only recently beginning to establish legitimacy, the earthquake in Haiti has created a public health crisis of the worst kind. And as we as a global community respond to this tragedy, its worth considering what lessons we can take away from it so that when disaster strikes again, we will be even more prepared. And with that, maybe it’s time we consider how we can actively leverage platforms like Twitter and Facebook to save lives in disaster zones.
Before proceeding any further, I’d like to remind folks that money is the most valuable assistance that most of us can provide right now. While it may feel a bit impersonal, adequate funds allow groups that are on the ground like Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross to purchase large volumes of essential supplies without worrying about the shipping costs associated with domestic material donations. Here at iMedicalApps, you can probably guess our favorite method of donating is via text message – for more information, check out this article from the New York Times. You can also donate directly to to the American Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, and Save the Children – these are just three large humanitarian organizations with extensive experience in Haiti with relief operations underway.
