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Haiti: Medical needs shift to include infections and complications

Published 23 January 2010

 

The emergency medical work Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are delivering in Haiti is beginning to shift some of its emphasis towards the next levels of need amongst the people there. In some parts of Port-au-Prince, the teams are starting to see more people coming to their hospitals who have infections or complications following basic or untrained attempts at treatment in the early days of the aftermath.

Overall pressure on medical services is not declining however. The issue of how to manage the growing numbers of patients needing post-operative care is still challenging, as is the requirement to restore medical care to those with chronic conditions and to cope with the needs for maternity and primary healthcare of people living in and around the capital.

At the same time, MSF teams are still managing substantial caseloads of patients requiring surgery. In Chancerelle hospital in the city, the second operating theatre is being restored and prepared for work. In Choscal hospital in the slum area of Cité Soleil, the theatre has been busy with obstetric emergencies and with some machete and gunshot wounds. In the town of Les Cayes, MSF is starting to support the local hospital and to operate on 150 seriously injured people who were moved there from the capital.

MSF's inflatable hospital in Port-au-Prince is getting prepared for the first surgery cases tomorrow. Eighty more patients are being moved there from Trinité hospital to join the 100 from Pacot in what are six big inflatable tents.

In an MSF field hospital adjacent to Carrefour Hospital, nearly 40 people underwent surgery, 60 people were admitted and 350 consultations were carried out.

The psychological consequences of the catastrophe are becoming even clearer. MSF has significant experience of mental health work in disaster areas and has specialists in Haiti who have been working with patients in its hospitals and with MSF staff who were in the country at the time and have suffered trauma from the terrible events.

Another emerging need is for basic supplies to help families cope with the destruction of their homes and belongings. MSF is starting to distribute kits that include blankets, buckets, soap and cooking utensils to families in Jacmel town. The teams expect to step up these donations elsewhere and today will get their first delivery of these kits from a boat arriving in Port-au-Prince. The overall cargo plan, by all forms of transport into Haiti, is for some 20,000 kits containing these vital supplies in the coming weeks.

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