April, 2010
Haiti has dropped from the headlines, but the need for aid is as strong as ever — and a group of doctors and nurses from Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland who are part of Children’s Global Health Initiative (CGHI) responded with a 10-day trip to Port au Prince in May, 2010. A specialized pediatric surgery team including a plastic surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses and respiratory therapists armed with 35 boxes of donated medical supplies deployed on May 27 to aid the children of Haiti in need of medical care. Global Healing, one of CGHI’s partners and a Bay Area-based non-profit organization dedicated to bringing modern medicine to the developing world, funded the trip.

When the earthquake hit in January, Haiti was flooded with humanitarian aid. Almost six months later, the aid was dwindling but the need for medical supplies and services remained extremely high.

According to CGHI pediatric intensivist and stateside team coordinator, Arup Roy-Burman, MD, medical needs persisted, but the kind of need evolved.

“Major acute general trauma and orthopedic injuries have been replaced by the aftermath of the initial injuries, including poorly healed and infected wounds. In addition, there has been a rise communicable diseases such as diphtheria,” explains Dr. Roy-Burman, who is also chairman of the board for Global Healing.

“In recognition of this evolution in medical needs, along with the waning of medical support, CGHI and Global Healing are joining together to provide medical assistance to those still in need in Haiti.”

In Port Au Prince, 10 of the 14 member CGHI’s medical volunteer team worked at Adventist Hospital where the current patient population is almost 50 per cent children. The team offered both pediatric and adult support in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The rest of the team was stationed at the University Hospital of Haiti, where they assisted in both basic pediatric and pediatric intensive care. Loma Linda University coordinated the primary team at Adventist, while non-profit health care organization Partners in Health coordinated the University group on the ground in Haiti.

“Global Healing is happy to be working together with Loma Linda University and Partners in Health, and the CGHI to support Haitians during this on-going state of current emergency,” said Cindy Basso Eaton, president of Global Healing. “With the onset of serious disease and the critical need for medical support, I am confident that the team from CGHI will help make a difference as the state of emergency in Haiti still exists.”

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