Global Health Nursing & Midwifery

Inside Haiti

Started by Maggie Sullivan on 20 Jan 2010

This communication is cross-posted at GANM (Global Alliance for Nursing and Midwifery). It is written by a member of GANM who is currently in Haiti and provides an update to the current situation. This is cross-posted in our best efforts to facilitate correspondence with nurses in Haiti.

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your support!
Yes we are still running for the basics of surviving.
Access to Water and Food, so basic, are still our priorities!

Yes the National Nurse Midwife School(ENISF) is still there! The National Nurse School University and Faculty of Medicine collapse completely and Dr Laroche , Technical Advisor to the ENISF was giving OB course to the Nurse students at the time. His car was still front this school when I arrived the next day morning to the ENISF.

I was busy with PBS American Public Television for a report on ENISF Nurse midwives students stage “Life Saving Skills “ and “Community Reproductive Health Development” at the success Petite Rivière Rural Maternity -268 deliveries in December 2009 and no maternal mortality case at the time.

The President of the Haitian Midwives Association, Angela Sam is gone to US, as many Haitian live also the country. Others move inside the country with their children.

The staff at the University Hospital Maternity is not yet there. Their houses collapse, no more work clothes, no more transport, no electricity, water, telephone digicel not yet working, and internet not good. Supermarket not yet open, no bank, only street local food selling (fruits..).

Many public institutions as Premature, Ministry of Justice, Finance, Ministry of Health, Foreigner Affairs, Planning, Communication, Universities, Schools, Hospitals and clinics are destroyed, the President palace and the prison too. (the gangs change already their location to the slum local market said my house gardener.)

Now, we are working on these higher crisis priorities with many limitations as low logistic support, (very few ambulances) not enough petrol …

We are very busy- Airport emergency support is working 24h/7. No more international flihtsw. Only from San Dominguo international could one leave the country.

Thank you for your understanding – and keep contact.

Best regards
Agnès from Haiti
IMA/UNFPA

(this note is from Agnes Jacob in Haiti. She is a long time member of the GANM and has managed to get to the internet to report to us of what she is seeing, doing, living. Our prayers and total respect go our to you Agnes. Much love!)

Keywords: emergency relief  Haiti  International Partnerships