Haiti Village Health

Yesterday the medical team and I (the communications director) flew back into Port-au-Prince, so my time in Jacmel has come to an end. We had the opportunity to take the MAF private jet (as we drove into Jacmel a week ago) and to see the island of Haiti from a birds eye view was as unfortunate to witness as if you were on land. While we flew over I was able to view the many camps, tents, destroyed buildings, rubble and the amount of sanitation that had piled up in the 2 months after the quake.

Once we reached land, my heart began to ache once again having to face the thousands of people who sat along the sides of the city desperately trying to continue their reality of work and survive in the burning heat. As we crossed the place in which a market use to stand, people were now forced to sell their merchandise (meats, vegetables, fruits, clothes) in any place available. It made my reality of going back to Bermuda in a matter of days fearful; there was still a great need. Although I had the opportunity to help with distribution of food, medical services, visits to the orphanages and refugee camps I had the feeling of wanting to give more. We all did. The medical team had expressed to me, during the week in which they had worked at St. Michel's Hospital, there was still supplies needed and how the hospital was still in chaos.

During the day I had volunteered to work with them and I too saw the process and conditions amongst not only the people but as well as the doctors throughout the hospital. As people came in the clinic for medical treatment I watched how it took hours sometimes to even be triaged. With no medical experience myself I was given the role to assist anybody who was in need of information. From 9am to 4pm I grew remorseful by the amount of people who overflowed the waiting room, as I heard children who screamed in pain, and while others constantly asked how much longer would they have to wait. For a person who does not engage in any type of medical services I tried to assist in any way possible regardless the difficulty.

By the end of the day I was both emotionally and physically exhausted but wanted to encourage people to make a step and try to handle the responsibilities of being a true volunteer and helping those in need in Haiti.