JDP Foundation

Haiti’s Healthcare Services Reestablished but Precarious During Hurricane Season

Martha Kerr

July 8, 2010 — The earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010 destroyed more than 60% of the country’s healthcare infrastructure, including nearly all of Port-au-Prince’s hospitals, and wiped out 10% of all medical personnel, who were either killed or left the country in the wake of the disaster. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed or injured, and approximately 1 million were left homeless.

“Today, medical provisions for Haitians have improved, and are certainly more accessible than before the earthquake, allowing poor people to receive proper health care,” said Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Head of Mission Stefano Zaninni in a statement.

In response to the disaster, international aid has poured in, surpassing 90 million euros. More than half the money (approximately 53 million euros) has already been spent.

MSF held a press conference today to provide an update on the state of the country’s healthcare system and services 6 months after the earthquake hit.

MSF Field Director Hans dan Dillen reported that recovery efforts, implemented in stages, have been largely successful. Life-saving surgeries were being performed within hours of when the earthquake hit. Since then, 174,000 people have been treated, more than 11,000 surgical procedures have been performed, and more than 81,000 Haitians have received support to cope with psychological trauma.

There have been no outbreaks of infectious diseases as yet, although dan Dillen noted that it is now hurricane season and the situation in Haiti continues to be precarious.

Reconstruction efforts are focusing on sanitation, including the latrines in the locations where nearly 1 million people continue to live, and on access to clean water. MSF supplies approximately 60% of the area’s water needs. Zaninni says that frustration is growing among people who are disappointed with the pace of rehabilitation.

“There is a staggering gap between the enthusiasm and promises for aiding the victims of the earthquake in the early weeks, and the dire reality on the ground after half a year,” he said.

The large number of injuries immediately after the earthquake “forced teams to focus almost exclusively on the stabilization of patients and emergency surgery, at the expense of other crucial activities. Finding locations for temporary medical facilities was done in haste, as there was little time for more in-depth assessments,” Zaninni pointed out.

Some permanent hospitals and healthcare facilities have been or are being built, with the focus on orthopaedics, surgery, and maternal and child health. MSF currently manages 19 health facilities and has more than 1000 beds available at various locations.

“In Port-au-Prince, the inflatable hospital known as Saint Louis, along with the Tabarre rehabilitation centre, are expected to be replaced with a new hospital next year, that will be an MSF emergency medical and surgical hospital. Martissant hospital will continue into 2011 and Choscal is also likely to operate as an emergency room. Another container hospital in Delmas 33 will be dedicated to obstetric care for the next 3 years, while support will continue to the Ministry of Health maternity hospital of Isaïe Jeanty,” the MSF report notes.

“Paediatric care will also continue in 2011 in Carrefour Paediatric and Bicentenaire hospital, which will provide trauma care and surgery too. Primary health care services, including mental health and sexual violence programmes will be provided through next year in the deprived Carrefour area and in the new slums of the Airport zone,” the MSF report says.

Initially, there were more than 350 international staff members on the ground, which strained MSF’s resources. By the end of May, 93% of MSF staff was Haitian.

“Six months on, the medical provision for the majority of citizens has been significantly improved in general and some poor people who were unable to access healthcare prior to the disaster are now able to receive care,” MSF says in its report.

“However, the sustainability of this situation depends on continuing international commitment and the question of ensuring quality remains. Shelter remains the most urgent need, with reconstruction moving at a very slow pace and the rainy season compounding the misery. Poor Haitian people are entirely used to limited comfort and resources, but MSF staff there report that frustration and anger are rising because too little has changed in the living conditions since the quake,” the report concludes.

Original Article.