Report, trip to Haiti
Support for Haitians Helping Haitians
January 27-February 8
Carlyle Schlabach MD and Chad Bates EMT-B
Chad Bates and I traveled to Haiti to investigate
opportunities to support Haitian physicians and
nurses who are helping Haitians and improving
health care. We met with Haitian physicians and
nurses, spoke with North Americans who are
working with Haitian health care, visited Haitian
health care facilities, and attended several
conferences.
The trip was very successful in meeting our goals. We were able to ask questions, get
good advice and identify potential partners. We presented ideas for collaborating with
Haitian physicians and nurses to bring Comprehensive Advanced Life Support and/or
Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics courses to northern Haiti. We are now ready to
present a plan for collaborative projects between North American and Haitian health
care workers.
What we learned:
1. Dr. Ernst Robert Jasmin, Director of Health for North
Haiti, has placed Maternal health care and Emergency
health care as priorities for North Haiti. He supports our
idea of training programs in Obstetrics and Emergency
Medicine for physicians and nurses in North Haiti.
2 Many Haitian physicians expressed interest in
assisting with or receiving training in Comprehensive
Advanced Life Support (CALS) and/or Advanced Life
Support Obstetrics (ALSO). Some physicians
expressed interest in becoming CALS and/or ALSO
trainers.
3. Drs. Khalil Turennne and Dr. Martine Dorsainvil
suggested that CALS would be the first priority for
training at Hospital Justinien in Cap Haitian. Physicians
and nurses seeing emergency patients would benefit
from the knowledge, practice and confidence that would come with receiving the CALS
course.
4. Dr. Galit Sacajiu, director of the Haiti Medical Education Project (HME), is interested
in incorporating our training initiative into her organization.
5. Some groups have already begun to provide emergency medical education in North
Haiti.
6. Many facilities have times when medicines and lab supplies run out. Many facilities
have difficulty in keeping medical equipment repaired.
7. Some facilities have difficulty in access to anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, x
ray technicians, and other support services.
8. Medical teams from outside Haiti who do surgery or clinical medical work can be of
help. One facility would like to have North American surgeons do surgery in partnership
with Haitian physicians in order to have sharing of surgical expertise. However, visiting
medical teams can cause problems. There may be problems with continuity of care. For
example, surgical patients may suffer complications after surgeons have left or patients
may run out of medicines after physicians start them on treatments for chronic
conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
9. Some Haitian health care workers are seeking help in organizing emergency care in
their facilities and in the region.
10. There are clinics in underserved
areas in and around Cap Haitian that
would benefit from financial
assistance to help them expand their
services.
11. Community health evangelism is
an innovative holistic approach to
improving conditions in communities
with needs. It is a grassroots
approach that identifies and
mobilizes already existing resources
and organizes communities for
mutual support and empowerment.
What we propose:
1. A Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS) class for physicians and nurses in
North Haiti to be held at Hospital Justinian within one year. This would be a
collaborative effort between North American and Haitian physicians and nurses and
would include training in CALS and training of trainers. The class would be an addition
to the Haiti Medical Education project directed by Dr. Galit Sacajiu.
2. Possible expansion of training to include Advanced Life Support Obstetrics (ALSO),
and to take training to other sites in North Haiti.
3. Exploring ways to collaborate with other groups in emergency medicine training.
4. Discussing with key informants ways to make basic medicines, medical supplies and
equipment more reliable and constant in Haitian health care facilities.
5. Discussing ways of increasing the availability of medical support personal such as
anesthetists and x ray technicians.
6. When possible, linking donors with clinics and hospitals in areas of greatest need
and accountability.
7. Participating in joint efforts to increase the organization of emergency services in
North Haiti.
8. Sharing about Community Health Evangelism, its availability, principles and process.
9. Fund raising in order to provide free training with food provided at a comfortable
setting, and to help pay for equipment, drivers, translators and short-term assistance.
We will encourage trainers to pay their own expenses or to arrange their own financial
support.
10. Changing the name of this project to "Mache ak Ayisyen ede Ayisyen: Walking with
Haitians Helping Haitians." This will help to communicate that our project is about
developing relationships that encourage Haitian health care workers.
Who we met with:
Baraka Clinic, Ferrier
Dr. Nirla Nelson
Cap Haitien Health Network:
Maudelin Mesadieu MD, Country Director
Djailcovsky Aimable
Clinique du diabète, Haut-Limbe
Dr. Emmaneul Mareus
Clinic ORLO, Petionville
Brigitte Hudicourt, MD
Clinique Communautar El Rapha, Cap
Haitien
Dr. Pedro Jn Pierre
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Haut-Limbe
Nancy B. James, RN
Stephen W. James, MD
Empower and Advance, Fort Liberte
Ayesha Khan, MD, MPH
GE Health Solutions
Francoise Juste, RN MA
Global Therapy Group, Petionville
Donna Hutchinson, PT
Haiti Hospital Appeal, Cap Haitien
Carrwyn Hill, CEO
Dr. Paul Toussaint, Medical Director
Haiti Medical Education Project
Barbara Ley Toffler, PhD., Director Nursing Education
Galit M. Sacajiu MD MPH, President and Medical Education Director
Hopital Bon Samaritain, Limbe
Dr. Nichael Armand
Hopital Justinien, Cap Haitien
Khalil Turenne MD
Marine Dorsainvil MD
Hopital St. Jean, Limbe
Dr. Calixte
Hopital Sacre Coeur, Milot
Harold Previl MD, CEO
Kombit Sante, Cap Haitien
Nathan Nickerson, DrPH, Executive Director
Tezita Negussie MPH, MSW
Mama Baby Haiti, near Cap Haitien
Santo Choute, Haiti Operations Director
Medical Ambassadors International
Bibliana Mac Leod, MD, Regional Coordinator
Osse St. Juste, Area Coordinator
Meds & Food For Kids, near Cap Haitien
Patricia Wolff, MD Executive Director
N a Sonje Foundation, near Petionville
Carla Bluntschli
Ministere de la Sante Publique et de la Population
Dr. Ernst Robert Jasmin, Director of Health Department, North department
Unite de Lutte Pour La Sante, Fort Bourgeois
Maudelin Mesadieu MD
Thank you for your interest in the project, "Mache
ak Ayisyen ede Ayisyen: Walking with Haitians
Helping Haitians." I hope to send an update and
ask for your comments and advice once a month.
Carlyle Schlabach MD
