Haiti Earthquake Appeal

As a responsible and ethical business, Bupa actively supports the relief efforts following the earthquake in Haiti. It is a cause that is important to our people and our customers and as our core value is to care, we actively seek to find ways to help those in need.

Below is an update on how Bupa businesses around the world are getting involved. Please note that this report contains information to date and that a follow up report will be provided Wednesday 27 January detailing any further developments from the businesses.

• Bupa Group will donate £10,000 to support the cause, via the Red Cross to ensure funds are distributed in the best possible way.

• Bupa Group will match all employee donations and fundraising efforts.

• Bupa Group is currently liaising with the Red Cross to establish what medical and general supplies (eg clothing) are required at this stage.  This will be communicated across Bupa for businesses to support where appropriate and encourage staff to get involved in a non-financial way.

• Being closely affected by the tragedy, Bupa Miami has also agreed to match their staff donations. A collection of goods, such as shoes, canned food and clothes has also been arranged, as well as purchasing 16,000 bottles of water.  They have managed to contact both their main agents based in Haiti, arranged with the Bupa medical services the evacuation of four policy holders based in Haiti and are starting to investigate how they can alleviate immediate administration for our 2,800 policy holders in Haiti (eg extending grace periods for premium collection etc)

• Bupa International in Brighton has agreed to donate £20,000 to the MSF Haiti appeal and fundraising efforts are underway within the business.

• UK & North America, Care Services, Bupa Australia, Bupa Scandinavia and Sanitas are co-coordinating employee donations for match funding by group and fundraising events are being organised where possible

If you would like to update Community Connections about further activities within your business please contact, Claire Atkinson atkinscl@bupa.com 0044 20 7656 2063 for inclusion in next weeks update.

For Bupa staff who want to get their donations matched, please notify your CR representative within your business, who will then inform Community Connections of the full amount donated by your business. Alternatively, you can send evidence of your donation to Antonia Wilson at wilsonan@bupa.com with your name and business.

Background

The worst earthquake to hit Haiti in more than two hundred years has caused widespread devastation and brought misery to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Your help could make a huge difference to the lives of people in crisis.

On 12 January 2010 at 17.00 hours local time a major earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck Haiti.

The earthquake, which is reported to be the worst to hit Haiti in more than two hundred years, struck 15km south west of the country’s capital Port-au-Prince and was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude.  The worst affected area is Haiti’s West Province with a population of 2.2 million but tremors have been reported across the region.

According to the US Geological Survey up to three million people may have been affected in a densely populated area.  Tens of thousands of people are feared dead with many more still trapped in the rubble after the earthquake caused public buildings and an estimated 200,000 homes to collapse. In the worst affected areas of up to 70% of buildings have been completely destroyed.  Haitian President Rene Preval has described the damage as ‘unimaginable’.

Thousands of panic-stricken people have been forced to sleep on the streets and in parks amid fears of aftershocks. Port-au-Prince has been in left almost total darkness after power lines were cut, and rescuers are being forced to search for survivors under torch light.

Phone lines have also been disrupted hindering communication and roads are blocked with rubble making it difficult to reach people in the worst affected areas.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has suffered a number of recent disasters, including four hurricanes and storms in 2008 that killed hundreds.