Emergency Food Distribution to Haiti's Children Continues Despite Flight Ban

UNICEF and other humanitarian agencies rely on Meds & Food for Kids to produce and distribute ready-to-use therapeutic food for starving children in Haiti

CAP HAITIEN, NORD, HAITI, November 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Meds and Food for Kids (MFK) in Haiti continues to distribute life-saving ready-to-use therapeutic foods and supplements (RUTF and RUSF) to malnourished children, and pregnant and nursing mothers. Operations continue despite the 30-day shutdown of all incoming and outgoing US airline travel to Haiti by US airlines by the Federal Aviation Administration. The United Nations also has suspended flights to Port-au-Prince, limiting delivery of humanitarian food and aid coming into the country.

"The shutdown of air travel will not impact MFK’s ability to deliver lifesaving treatments to children and mothers throughout Haiti who are suffering from malnutrition because of continuing gang violence," stated Chris Greene, Chief Executive Officer of Meds and Food for Kids.

"Here in Haiti, we manufacture Medika Mamba and Plumpy Doz treatments, and we currently have sufficient supplies for distribution," said Remenson Tenor, Chief Operating Officer of Meds and Food for Kids. "Along with our partners, MFK will continue to provide RUTF and RUSF while the shutdown is in effect."

However, the organization warns that this shutdown will deny Haitian access to vital food and supplies, and urges the FAA and other agencies to lift the ban for air shipments of emergency medicine, foods andother essentials.

"We've operated locally in Haiti for over 21 years, meeting the needs of malnourished children for more than a generation, despite the violence, chaos - and now - the 30-day airport shutdown," Greene said. "However, the continued delay of security forces means that over 300,000 acutely malnourished children continue to face stunting and starvation without life-saving RUTF."

About Meds & Food for Kids
Meds & Food for Kids has treated over 1 million malnourished infants, toddlers, school children, and pregnant and nursing mothers with ready-to-use therapeutic and supplemental foods produced at our Haitian factory.

These therapeutic and supplemental foods are known as Medika Mamba in Haiti or Plumpy’Nut internationally; Vita Mamba and Plumy’Doz. Made by Haitians, using Haitian peanuts, all of these products: remain shelf stable for 24 months; are able to be administered by a parent or caregiver; and follow the highest international quality standards and recipe protocols set by global producer network PlumpyField with Nutriset.

Our solar-powered factory is managed and operated completely by a Haitian team dedicated to saving lives in Haiti. We believe in locally-led solutions for sustainable change that interrupts the cycle of poverty, the root cause of hunger.

Meds & Food for Kids trains and supports small plot Haitian farmers to increase the quality and yield of their peanut crops. We purchase these peanuts for producing therapeutic foods, and continue to support these farmers after training so they can successfully feed their families and communities.

MFK partners with more than 150 Haitians clinics, schools, and humanitarian agencies, including UNICEF and World Food Programme.

See more Information at mfkhaiti.org
B-roll video and interviews from Haiti and US representatives are available on request.

Maggie Probert
Meds and Food for Kids
+1 314-630-2119
mprobert@mfkhaiti.org
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Production and distribution of live-saving emegency food to malnourished children in Haiti continues despite the flight band and other barriers.