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US halts Haiti victim evacuations US halts Haiti victim evacuations
(about 3 hours later)
The US military has stopped evacuating Haitian earthquake victims to the US in a reported dispute over medical costs.The US military has stopped evacuating Haitian earthquake victims to the US in a reported dispute over medical costs.
A US military official told the New York Times flights had stopped on Wednesday as some hospitals were reluctant to take patients from Haiti. Flights stopped on Wednesday because some hospitals were reluctant to take patients from Haiti, a US military official told the New York Times.
The decision came a day after Florida's governor asked the federal government to help pay for healthcare. A doctor in the quake zone warned 100 of his patients would die in the next 48 hours unless they were airlifted.
Meanwhile, the UN food agency announced it had set up 16 distribution sites in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Meanwhile, men are to be excluded from the UN food agency's new distribution sites in Haiti's capital.
Hundreds of patients with spinal injuries, burns and other wounds have been evacuated to the US since the 12 January quake that killed up to 200,000 people.Hundreds of patients with spinal injuries, burns and other wounds have been evacuated to the US since the 12 January quake that killed up to 200,000 people.
'Reaching saturation''Reaching saturation'
If they won't take them, we can't fly - it's pretty simple Kevin AandahlUS Transportation Command Seaside slum where gun rules class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8459090.stm">Haiti quake: Survivors' stories BBC Caribbean We have 100 patients who will die in the next day or two if we don't Medevac them Dr Barth GreenDoctor in Haiti href="/2/hi/uk_news/8489308.stm">UK to ship iron to Haiti victims class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8480015.stm">Seaside slum where gun rules BBC Caribbean
Confirming the flights had stopped, US Transportation Command spokesman Capt Kevin Aandahl said on Saturday: "Apparently, some states were unwilling to accept the entry of Haitian patients for follow-on critical care.Confirming the flights had stopped, US Transportation Command spokesman Capt Kevin Aandahl said on Saturday: "Apparently, some states were unwilling to accept the entry of Haitian patients for follow-on critical care.
"We manage air evacuation missions, but without a destination to fly to, we can't move anybody. If we don't have permission to bring them, or they won't take them in, we can't fly the mission. It's pretty simple." "We manage air evacuation missions, but without a destination to fly to we can't move anybody. If we don't have permission to bring them, or they won't take them in, we can't fly the mission. It's pretty simple."
He declined to say which states had declined to accept patients. He declined to say which states did not want to accept patients.
A spokesman for Florida Governor Charlie Crist said he was not aware of any hospital in his state refusing patients.A spokesman for Florida Governor Charlie Crist said he was not aware of any hospital in his state refusing patients.
More than 500 quake victims have been treated so far in Florida hospitals, according to the New York Times.More than 500 quake victims have been treated so far in Florida hospitals, according to the New York Times.
In a letter on Tuesday to US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Mr Crist asked the federal government to activate the National Disaster Medical System, which usually pays for victims' care in domestic disasters.In a letter on Tuesday to US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Mr Crist asked the federal government to activate the National Disaster Medical System, which usually pays for victims' care in domestic disasters.
He warned: "Florida's healthcare system is quickly reaching saturation, especially in the area of high-level trauma care."He warned: "Florida's healthcare system is quickly reaching saturation, especially in the area of high-level trauma care."
Women-only coupons Women-only
The Republican governor's letter noted the system was already under strain because of the winter influx of elderly people.The Republican governor's letter noted the system was already under strain because of the winter influx of elderly people.
Haiti's president on how to rebuild nationHaiti's president on how to rebuild nation
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme said its 16 distribution points in Port-au-Prince would reach many more hungry Haitians. Dr Barth Green, who is involved in the relief effort in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, warned that his patients needed to get to better hospitals.
The agency is also starting to distribute food coupons for families across the city, but only women will be able to collect the 25kg (55lb) of rice rations, designed to last two weeks. "We have 100 critically ill patients who will die in the next day or two if we don't med-evac them," Dr Green, chairman of the University of Miami's Global Institute for Community Health and Development, told AP news agency.
Correspondents say the move to exclude men from collection points follows unruly behaviour at queues. Among the patients was a five-year-old girl suffering from tetanus in a small leg wound.
She would die within a day unless evacuated, Dr David Pitcher, a medic at the institute's temporary field hospital at Haiti's international airport, told AP.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme said it had set up 16 distribution points in Port-au-Prince which would open on Sunday and reach many more hungry Haitians.
But only women will be allowed in to collect rations - correspondents say the move to exclude men follows unruly behaviour at queues.
The World Food Programme is also starting to hand out food coupons entitling each family to collect 25kg (55lb) of rice rations, designed to last two weeks.