Basketball
Basketball stars visit UNICEF-supported malnutrition centre in Haiti
- Tuesday, 14 June 2011 22:05
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – UNICEF Haiti hosted National Basketball Association (NBA) Star and Sacramento Kings’ centre Samuel Dalembert and Nykesha Sales, a six-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star, in a visit to a malnutrition centre in a hospital still recovering from the January 2010 earthquake.
Preventing malnutrition
"We've been wanting to make a trip like this for a while, to bring players here to see the situation so we can organize programmes here," said Mr. Dalembert, who left Haiti at the age of 13 and has played in the NBA for ten years.
The University Hospital of Haiti, the largest in this Caribbean country, was severely damaged by the earthquake. Much of its physical infrastructure was destroyed, including the Department of Pediatrics and Nutritional Stabilization Unit, which cares for malnourished children.
Immediately following the earthquake, UNICEF helped establish a temporary Nutritional Stabilization Unit with 10 beds. More than 450 children have been treated at the unit since.
Samuel Dalembert witnesses the efforts being made to tackle malnutrition in Haiti. Following last year's earthquake, UNICEF helped establish a temporary Nutritional Stabilization Unit.
“Malnutrition is the number one cause of death among children under five in Haiti and other developing countries,” said UNICEF Representative in Haiti Francoise Gruloos-Ackermans. “There has been great progress made in addressing malnutrition in Haiti through prevention and response activities. But chronic malnutrition remains a silent killer for one in three children under five years of age in Haiti, particularly in remote and under-serviced communities.” Full Press Release
Related 06.10.2011: Samuel Dalembert in Haiti Announces Plans for Sports Complex
Related 06.10.2011: U.S. State Announce NBA Star Samuel Dalembert and WNBA All-Star Nykesha Sales' Travel to Haiti
Related 05.31.2011: Kings' Fans Worried Dalembert Might Join the Miami Heat
Related 05.04.2011: New York Knicks Looking at Samuel Dalembert
Related 03.21.2011: Dalembert Puts Up Monster Numbers After All-Star Break
Related 03.15.2011: Wade, James and Bosh Girlfriends do Haiti Shoot
Press Release: UNICEF
