Update Thursday continued

So, we landed on the beach in Bainet.  Of course everyone was excited to see us and gathered around.  Bainet had not had any assessments so my first priority was to speak with the mayor.  We met with him to discuss the health needs in the area.  I had the listing of clinics and asked him which he would prefer we visited first.

 

The team then broke up.  I appointed the ACDIVOCA rep to go with the American  and nurse to the general hospital.  Fredo and I hired a motorcycle and headed out to the countryside.  We travelled first 30 minutes to the east to the Dispensaire Brasilienne.  It is staffed by 2 HaRNs.  We discussed the OCHA evaluation questions and then further discussed other health care needs.  Primary concerns was lack of medication, support staff and shelter for the people.

We had a short snack of local oranges with our bike driver and learned a e more about the politics of the area.  Many people from the PAP region are moving across the mountains looking for new homes.

 

We then headed 30 minutes north to the Dispensaire Bahot.  The nurse and auxiliary nurse expressed similar concerns.

 

Another issue that was addressed was transport.  To go to Brasilienne we had to cross the river 3 times and this is not the rainy season.  There would be no way for a woman in active labour to be able to gain access to a hospital when the river is high.

 

This only reinforces the fact that further midwives and prenatal education are needed to recognize high risk cases.  also a means of transport such as an ambulance be invaluable to these remote regions.

 

We met up with the Hospital based team at the Landing zone for the helicopter by the beach at 1530h.  They found the hospital building to be a solid structure but they too were lacking medication, supplies, electricity and water.  The teamagreed to return there on Saturday to work alongside the Haitian staff.  Of course, this is with the approval of Public Health and the Hospital administration.

 

Got to run now to the refugee camp for meetings but will have further updates later.