Ons medische team aan het werk

Van onze contactpersoon in Haïti

The town of Jacmel was not as damaged as Port-au-Prince. The general hospital received attention from numerous organizations and people are camping in the soccer stadium. UN agencies along with international NGO’s have been providing water and also set-up a registration system in the camp.

It is a different story in the destroyed city of Léogâne, a port town located about 29 km (18 miles) West of Port-au-Prince. Léogâne has been reported as “the worst affected area” with 80 to 90% of the buildings damaged and no remaining government infrastructure. 

International assistance is just getting started in Léogâne. The general hospital is now supported by Doctors Without Boarders and the Canadian Army, who have set-up a field hospital with modular containers. The US Marines have deployed small squadrons along the cost to provide security to UN and NGO’s especially during their food distributions. 

A hospital run by French and Canadians nuns was completely destroyed. It is now being supported by physicians from the Dominican Republic and a team from Cuba providing x-rays and ultrasounds. As a mater of fact, in both Léogâne and in Jacmel, doctors and nurses from Cuba and the US are working alongside each other.

In Léogâne, German doctors are working side-by-side with American surgeons—using the drinking water provided by the German team who in turn are using the equipment from the Cubans while working together with the Dominicans. This is truly an international relief effort. 

Smaller food distribution sites have begun in temporary areas for people camping under blankets. In other parts of town the Venezuelan government started to provide tents and organized shelter. Also the Venezuelan team are working alongside the US Marines helping to provide food and shelter to people in the camps.

In the center of Léogâne is a huge church that was completely destroyed. The only part that remains is the skeleton pillars holding up the roof, the pews and altar. 

Caritas International are using some remaining structures for a medical outreach clinics where they see 80-100 patients daily. They are seeing infected wound fractures and that people are coming from far away to receive care. Doctors and nurses providing outpatient care say there is a large number of people with defused pain; headaches, stomach, body aches. This pain is interpreted as a mental reaction and social stress imposed on people by damage of the earthquake.

Water, food and shelter are currently one of the largest concerns of the people in these areas. So far there is no report of disease outbreak or other epidemics but healthcare professionals are concerned. Another major concern are the children in these devastated areas and that they are the first to suffer from malnutrition and increasing rates of international relief efforts are not able to deliver sufficient amounts of food.

The French and Canadian nuns are trying their best to facilitate and accommodate their patients and Sr. Judy is on her way with a team to help them get back on their feet and to provide medical care and aid.

Thanks to a donation from German benefactors, we have a helicopter at our disposal for 4 weeks, along with a crew, to be able to go to these areas to transport supplies and medicine as needed.

Slovakian teams donated two huge tents and 12 field beds so that the nuns who have been sleeping on the floor the past two weeks will be protected at night and have a more comfortable place to rest.