Haiti

I realized that I had not posted anything on this blog about the tragedy of Haiti. I have posted on facebook, and I have sent out emails to everyone in my email book. I have made two donations to Partners in Health, an excellent organization that has been working in Haiti for almost 25 years. I first heard about them while reading a book my sister had sent me called MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS. I highly recommend that book.

Here is the email I sent out earlier this week:

Hello all,

Last time I emailed everyone in my address book was for the tsunami in Dec 2004. This situation is another natural disaster where your contributions WILL save lives. And if you know anyone who is an orthopedic surgeon, the organization Partners in Health needs them. Please forward this email to them. Other medical people are also needed.

Partners in Health is an organization founded by Dr. Paul Farmer. His life story is written in the book MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS. I highly recommend that book, because what he has done is remarkable.

There are lots of organizations that are trying to help in Haiti, but this organization has been there for over 20 years, speaks the language, and has hospitals outside Port a Prince. The walking wounded are already showing up at their hospitals, and they are starting a field hospital in PaP tomorrow. None of their hospitals or staff were hurt by this earthquake because they are outside PaP. Doctors without Borders are reporting that all of their hospitals are destroyed in PaP. I have heard rumors that they have had a 100 staff killed. The situation is horrific.

Here is Partners in Health's story - hope you can make a donation. THANK YOU!!!
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Over the past 18 hours, Partners In Health staff in Boston and Haiti have been working to collect as much information as possible about the conditions on the ground, the relief efforts taking shape, and all relevant logistics issues in order to respond efficiently and effectively to the most urgent needs in the field. At the moment, PIH's Chief Medical Officer is on her way to Haiti, where she will meet with Zanmi Lasante leadership and head physicians, who are already working to ensure PIH's coordinated relief efforts leveraging the skills of more than 120 doctors and nearly 500 nurses and nursing assistants who work at Zanmi Lasante's sites.

We have already begun to implement a two-part strategy to address the immediate need for emergency medical care in Port-au-Prince. First, we are organizing the logistics to get the medical staff and supplies needed for setting up field hospital sites in Port-au-Prince where we can triage patients, provide emergency care, and send those who need surgery or more complex treatment to our functioning hospitals and surgical facilities. To do this, we are creating a supply chain through the Dominican Republic. Second, we are ensuring that our facilities in the Central Plateau are ready to serve the flow of patients from Port-au-Prince. Operating and procedure rooms are staffed, supplied, and equipped for surgeries and we have converted a church in Cange into a large triage area. Already our sites in Cange and Hinche are reporting a steady flow of people coming with medical needs from the capital city. In the days that come we will need to make sure our pharmacies and supplies stay stocked and our staff continue to be able to respond.

Currently, our greatest need is financial support. Haiti is facing a crisis worse than it has seen in years, and it is a country that has faced years of crisis, both natural disaster and otherwise. The country is in need of millions of dollars right now to meet the needs of the communities hardest hit by the earthquake. Our facilities are strategically placed just two hours outside of Port-au-Prince and will inevitably absorb the flow of patients out of the city. In addition, we need cash on-hand to quickly procure emergency medical supplies, basic living necessities, as well as transportation and logistics support for the tens of thousands of people that will be seeking care at mobile field hospitals in the capital city. Any and all support that will help us respond to the immediate needs and continue our mission of strengthening the public health system in Haiti is greatly appreciated. Help us stand up for Haiti now.

If you are not in a position to make a financial contribution, you can help us raise awareness of the earthquake tragedy. Please alert your friends to the situation and direct them to www.pih.org for updates and ways to help.

Thank you for your solidarity during this crisis,

Ophelia Dahl
Executive Director

DIRECT LINK: http://www.pih.org/home.html

I had SIX people email me and say that they were going to make a donation to Partners in Health. That is wonderful! I made two donations earlier, and I am going to try and sell some old kayak stuff (still in good shape - a paddle and a drysuit) to raise some more money.