News continues to come in from our partners in Haiti about the incredible devastation and the challenges of treating those in need. Dr. Lisbet Hanson, an Ob/Gyn who has done extensive work in Haiti to help expectant mothers, sends these reports from her Blackberry:
"Internet out today. Too busy anyway. Going to lie down for a while, then head back to help. Delivered twins, have set bones, helped with amputations, sutured, started IVs, washed wounds, done emergency ultrasounds... So much trauma, not enough of us to go around. Mirabelais standing room only. Patients are leaving Port-au-Prince any way they can. We are triaging patients in ED and church here in Cange. Stepping over people in shock with arms dangling, bones exposed.. It's unbelievable..."
"Unbelievable day and its just getting started as people find their way out of Port-au-Prince to other hospitals. So many traumatic amputations, open fractures, puncture wounds and crush injuries.... We need orthopods and anesthesia people, lots of them. And more mattresses as wards full and churches filling. Will try to send photos when I can. If Partners In Health team can get here to replace us we are thinking of heading to DR end of the week. Will stay in touch. Thanks for support."
_______________________
This report is also in from Eric Doubt, Executive Director of Healing Hands for Haiti International, one of our Walking Free Program partners in Haiti:
To all, Lisa and I finally heard from our operations manager, Antonio. First of all, thank goodness, Antonio and his whole family are all fine. His home, car, property, all okay. He has a generator power, water, internet and VOIP telephone communications. Antonio has personally seen the following staff members who are okay: Siltane (who is living at the guest house), Noel, Joel, Jean, Soeurette, Caseus and the security guards. All of these people are unharmed. Noel unfortunately has not yet found his young daughter. Jean’s wife is injured. Antonio confirmed that Dr. Lalane and family are okay. His is the only home standing in his neighbourhood. We have no news from any others yet.
I’m sorry to report the following news: in terms of our property, the main apartment building facing the guest house is completely destroyed. Antonio does not yet know the fate of two survivors still buried alive under the rubble. As far as he knows, the other apartment dwellers got out. Our clinic and administration building are damaged with cracks and the two staircases leading to them are impassable. The clinic entrance to the physiotherapy area has collapsed. Security are ensuring nobody goes near or enters. The small private house past the pool across from the administration steps has been destroyed. The guest house is intact, but Antonio stresses it needs to be assessed. Siltane is safe in her apartment which has a locked door. There is generator electricity. Not sure about water yet.
Antonio reported that, on his walk from Petionville to our headquarters, it was as if the entire city was out in the streets. When I asked about the mood, he said very quiet because they are counting their dead. Three of the Unibanks he knows of collapsed with people inside. There is no banking, no gas available and the airport is closed except for emergency missions right now. We have asked Antonio when he returns tomorrow to take detailed photographs, to locate and report on other staff, to further assess the guest house, to secure the compound, to locate the water purification system in the guest house and make it operational for our use and the public’s if necessary. He is going to be calling Lisa and I twice a day as communications are possible to report and to take our questions. Antonio and his home are going to be the communications centre for HHHI in Haiti for the time being.
We told Antonio to communicate to his family, our staff and all our associates that we are setting up an emergency relief fund for staff and families and that we are planning for deploying an emergency response and reconnaissance mission as soon as it is humanly possible. We assured him of the massive worldwide support that we are witnessing in the media. We told him to be safe and take no chances and thanked him on everyone’s behalf for his calmness and compassion. This news came in after our emergency board meeting tonight. We are holding a second such meeting tomorrow, Thursday night and will provide you more details as we receive them on a regular basis. You may, of course, have received some of this information already. Feel free to pass any of it on to others.
On a positive note, donations via the web site and in person are substantial and rising and we are flooded with material and volunteer offers which we are coordinating. The best advice we have is to tell everyone the most important thing we need is money and to go to the web site. Regarding material donations, people can be thanked and asked to hold onto them until we can get back and coordinate. Major donations can be referred to Physicians for Peace. We advise volunteers to fill out the form on the web site stating their specialties, as we will be requiring numerous teams to be deployed throughout the year. We’re also categorizing specialties and providing contact information to the Canadian and U.S. Red Cross and MSF."
Physicians for Peace is currently collecting donations to help with the relief efforts of our partners in Haiti. 100% of these funds will go directly to help Haitians in crisis -
"Internet out today. Too busy anyway. Going to lie down for a while, then head back to help. Delivered twins, have set bones, helped with amputations, sutured, started IVs, washed wounds, done emergency ultrasounds... So much trauma, not enough of us to go around. Mirabelais standing room only. Patients are leaving Port-au-Prince any way they can. We are triaging patients in ED and church here in Cange. Stepping over people in shock with arms dangling, bones exposed.. It's unbelievable..."
"Unbelievable day and its just getting started as people find their way out of Port-au-Prince to other hospitals. So many traumatic amputations, open fractures, puncture wounds and crush injuries.... We need orthopods and anesthesia people, lots of them. And more mattresses as wards full and churches filling. Will try to send photos when I can. If Partners In Health team can get here to replace us we are thinking of heading to DR end of the week. Will stay in touch. Thanks for support."
_______________________
This report is also in from Eric Doubt, Executive Director of Healing Hands for Haiti International, one of our Walking Free Program partners in Haiti:
To all, Lisa and I finally heard from our operations manager, Antonio. First of all, thank goodness, Antonio and his whole family are all fine. His home, car, property, all okay. He has a generator power, water, internet and VOIP telephone communications. Antonio has personally seen the following staff members who are okay: Siltane (who is living at the guest house), Noel, Joel, Jean, Soeurette, Caseus and the security guards. All of these people are unharmed. Noel unfortunately has not yet found his young daughter. Jean’s wife is injured. Antonio confirmed that Dr. Lalane and family are okay. His is the only home standing in his neighbourhood. We have no news from any others yet.
I’m sorry to report the following news: in terms of our property, the main apartment building facing the guest house is completely destroyed. Antonio does not yet know the fate of two survivors still buried alive under the rubble. As far as he knows, the other apartment dwellers got out. Our clinic and administration building are damaged with cracks and the two staircases leading to them are impassable. The clinic entrance to the physiotherapy area has collapsed. Security are ensuring nobody goes near or enters. The small private house past the pool across from the administration steps has been destroyed. The guest house is intact, but Antonio stresses it needs to be assessed. Siltane is safe in her apartment which has a locked door. There is generator electricity. Not sure about water yet.
Antonio reported that, on his walk from Petionville to our headquarters, it was as if the entire city was out in the streets. When I asked about the mood, he said very quiet because they are counting their dead. Three of the Unibanks he knows of collapsed with people inside. There is no banking, no gas available and the airport is closed except for emergency missions right now. We have asked Antonio when he returns tomorrow to take detailed photographs, to locate and report on other staff, to further assess the guest house, to secure the compound, to locate the water purification system in the guest house and make it operational for our use and the public’s if necessary. He is going to be calling Lisa and I twice a day as communications are possible to report and to take our questions. Antonio and his home are going to be the communications centre for HHHI in Haiti for the time being.
We told Antonio to communicate to his family, our staff and all our associates that we are setting up an emergency relief fund for staff and families and that we are planning for deploying an emergency response and reconnaissance mission as soon as it is humanly possible. We assured him of the massive worldwide support that we are witnessing in the media. We told him to be safe and take no chances and thanked him on everyone’s behalf for his calmness and compassion. This news came in after our emergency board meeting tonight. We are holding a second such meeting tomorrow, Thursday night and will provide you more details as we receive them on a regular basis. You may, of course, have received some of this information already. Feel free to pass any of it on to others.
On a positive note, donations via the web site and in person are substantial and rising and we are flooded with material and volunteer offers which we are coordinating. The best advice we have is to tell everyone the most important thing we need is money and to go to the web site. Regarding material donations, people can be thanked and asked to hold onto them until we can get back and coordinate. Major donations can be referred to Physicians for Peace. We advise volunteers to fill out the form on the web site stating their specialties, as we will be requiring numerous teams to be deployed throughout the year. We’re also categorizing specialties and providing contact information to the Canadian and U.S. Red Cross and MSF."
Physicians for Peace is currently collecting donations to help with the relief efforts of our partners in Haiti. 100% of these funds will go directly to help Haitians in crisis -
Click here to make your contribution to Haiti relief efforts.
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