Dear UCSF Community,

The widespread devastation following Friday’s 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Morocco has been difficult to comprehend. It is heartbreaking to learn about the lives that have been lost in historic Marrakech and in smaller communities located in more remote areas. If you would like to help and are in a position to do so, please consider donating to organizations that are working to provide relief and support to the people of Morocco:

• The International Federation of Red Cross and Moroccan Red Crescent Society are providing first aid, assisting with search and rescue and helping assess the need for assistance.
• CARE, an organization that works with low-income communities, is supporting teams on the ground to provide water, food, shelter, and medical support.
• Doctors Without Borders, which responds to medical emergencies around the world by sending physicians and supplies.
• Global Giving, which assists local nonprofit agencies by collecting donations for necessities including food, water, shelter, and fuel.

The UCSF community includes scholars, learners, and staff—including those who work with the Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS)—who have relationships with the areas impacted by the earthquake. My thoughts are with all those who have family, friends, and colleagues in Morocco and the surrounding region.

An IGHS team has been working with the Ministry of Health in Morocco on a pathogen surveillance project funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That team had planned to travel there next week. Understandably, the trip has been cancelled so that agencies can focus on helping those in need in the aftermath of the earthquake.

As the search and recovery efforts in Morocco continue, let’s continue to support our colleagues with connections to the region. And let us hope that more survivors are safely and quickly rescued.

Sincerely,

Sam Hawgood, MBBS
Chancellor
Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor