This is a blog for anyone interested in telling others of their time in Haiti. It's meant more for us to share stories, and please make any comments you'd like in the box below the posts (no need to sign in). Contact Julian if you would like to post on the blog--we welcome anyone doing health-related work in northern Haiti.

While we welcome discussion on this blog, issues meant for feedback from the Network should be posted on the discussion board by emailing caphealth@yahoogroups.com

Sunday, June 5, 2011

After one week...

It's been a great first week in Cap!  Highlights included:

--Distributing supplies (soap, band-aids, hand sanitizer, ORS, etc.) down at Shada with Hannah and getting a tour of the area.  Very cool to see the work SOIL has done down there with the public toilet, clinic, and road construction.



--Several trips to Hopital Sacre Coeur.  Right after I arrived at the airport on Saturday, we went to meet Peter Kelly, President of the CRUDEM Foundation, which manages the hospital.  An incredibly impressive hospital, not only for its modern equipment but mainly because it has a great balance of Haitians and foreigners working together.  It is managed and staffed by Haitians, while foreigners continues to be involved in infrastructure development, technical assistance, and mentoring and training of staff.

--We have ample amounts of Sodium Chloride that we have been distributing to Hopital Sacre Coeur, To Haiti with Love, and other organizations and clinics in the area!  It's been fascinating to start to see the health-related supply chains at work in the area, and I'm still trying to get my head around the multiple organizations involved in procurement and distribution here.

--A trip to Haiti Hospital Appeal with Hannah, where she showed me the rehabilitation ward that she continues to work.

--We are trying to coordinate surgery for a child with tetralogy of fallot, a fatal congenital heart condition, seen by Hands up for Haiti in May and hospitalized in Hopital Sacre Coeur.  A flight to Port-au-Prince, where a group of surgeons from the US are currently holding a clinic, has been arranged and we are optimistic that we can locate the child!  People have really come together on coordinating about this.

--Visited the brand new emergency department, made possible by Israel, at Justinien Hospital.  Avi Hirsch, a doctor from near Tel Aviv with a wealth of experience in emergency medicine around the world, gave us a tour.  The facility looks great, and it will be interesting to see how it develops over the next months.  I look forward to continued communication with Dr. Hirsch!

Thanks to everyone for welcoming me to this beautiful land and teaching me about your work here.  It's great to be here.

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