HAITI GROUND REPORT 24th of February 2010
From the very start, MiST's mission objective in Haiti was to operate for the greatest benefit of the Haitian people. Our medics and other personnel have a clear mission: we we offer what is needed, we do what we can as well as we can and we work in harmony with other NGOs.
From the very start, MiST's mission objective in Haiti was to operate for the greatest benefit of the Haitian people. Our medics and other personnel have a clear mission: we we offer what is needed, we do what we can as well as we can and we work in harmony with other NGOs.
When you arrive at a scene of mass devastation, the overwhelming need can leave you feeling helpless, as though you are just a 'disaster tourist'. This is how Dr. Shoaib felt 4 days ago when he arrived in Haiti (apologies for using your name, Amer, as i know that you are publicity shy)
Palacio Nacional - Haiti (c/o Wikipedia)
Yesterday, Dr. Shoaib gave a powerpoint presentation in his 'school boy' french to an official from the Haitian Ministry of Health, with backing from the chief of the Haitian Orthopaedic Association, which was well received, especially as he made the effort to speak in a foreign language.
"There is a lot of work to do in Haiti and there is a big gap that no-one is addressing, one which will suit MiST perfectly.” (see last blog post for MiST history in Pakistan earthquake).
Mist will be working with the CARIS foundation, based in the US, who were working in Haiti long before the earthquake. We will be working together to provide outpatient care to the many thousands who have limb injuries but are not currently being cared for.
MIST has been fortunate to find local Haitian Orthopaedic surgeons who are keen to work with us to provide a trauma service to the local population and training to young Haitian doctors.
“The local [medical staffs] had no time to apply external fixation or medical care to the wounds, and patients were left outside hospitals with no care,” said surgical trainee and volunteer Ihab Boutros in Pakistan 2005.
We hope to further deploy our available surgical teams immediately – and somehow we aim to find a way to raise another £50,000 to enable a successful trip.
The earthquake and the poverty of Haiti that pre-existed the earthquake have resulted in a paucity of special x-ray machines that are mobile enough to be used in an operating theatre. These mobile x-ray machines, or image intensifiers, are used to ensure that the position of implanted orthopaedic metalwork is ideally placed. As there were none available after the earthquake, bones were not necessarily set straight, and there is a real risk that the bones will not heal at all, or may heal in a poor position, leading to disability.
With a huge amount of worthy fund-raising around the world and projects full of passion still imploring 'more for tents, more for sanitation, more for water', MiST implore you…for an X-Ray Machine ($80,000)*.
It may sound crazy with such devastation, but with just one x-ray image intensifier, we could ensure a high quality of treatment for orthopaedic surgery for broken bones, enabling MIST and local Haitian orthopaedic surgeons can give Haitians access to a better quality of life.
The implications are massive. An estimated 250,000** people suffered one or many crush injuries, and after shocks continue to injure more.
This affects a considerable amount of the Haitian population.
This affects their long term life quality.
Please please help us in our balmy but crucial aim.
* Quoted from Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127085542.htm
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