DEPLOY HAITI
Overview
Prior to the earthquake more than 40% of the population had no access to health care, either because no health facilities were available nearby or, as in most cases, because of the high fees charged for those health services. The arrival of many foreign medical teams in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake had temporarily increased access to health services for the population. However, the level of care has proven to be unsustainable as many of those non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) have left or are planning to leave the country.
Furthermore, those relief organizations that remain are in dire need of support to adequately staff them. Konbit is in a unique position to offer such support. With donated computers, highly qualified and dedicated staff and an active volunteer group, Konbit has built an exceedingly efficient operations center for the ongoing deployment of healthcare professionals and aid.
Program Description
Konbit for Haiti’s Deploy Haiti program has been serving as a national healthcare worker deployment center since January, sponsoring trips to Haiti all over the continental United States (not including Alaska). Konbit has been able to build a database of over 1600 professionals ready to volunteer their services to Haiti. Konbit has deployed countless teams of professionals who have contributed to the relief effort in Haiti as part of a larger operation that matches individual offers of help and contributions with organizations working on the ground.
Once matches are established, the Konbit deployment center:
- Ensures that all your forms and documents requested on the Pre-booking checklist have been completed and submitted.
- Ensures deployed professionals are prepared physically, mentally and legally, prior to deployment. The deployment center has established a protocol for all volunteers with guidelines for vaccines
- Ensures the logistics on their departure and arrival in Haiti. The Konbit deployment center arranges all travel to Haiti and through well-developed partnerships with organizations in Haiti ensures that those deployed are provided safe and secure lodging and transportation.
- Ensures partner institutions are satisfied with the service provided and the deployed professional is upholding a professional code of conduct.
- Upon return, the Konbit deployment center makes certain the deployed professional is thoroughly de-briefed.
Deployment Opportunities
The Konbit deployment center currently offers different volunteer opportunities for those interested in being deployed.
1. J/P HRO Camp
Founded by actor and humanitarian Sean Penn and philanthropist Diana Jenkins, J/P HRO began its work just hours after the earthquake hit. Less than a week after the disaster, J/P HRO was on the ground in Haiti, bringing much needed medical supplies and a team of doctors. The team immediately went to work, treating patients, delivering medical supplies and equipment, and providing food to numerous camps and orphanages.
In the months since the earthquake, J/P HRO has built a strong network of doctors and emergency management volunteers who have made tremendous progress on the ground. Among the team’s many accomplishments, they have taken over management of the United Nations International Organisation for Migration (UNIOM) refugee camp of over 50,000 people located at the Petionville Golf Club, just outside of Port-au-Prince. The J/P HRO camp houses five clinics that serve camp residents as well those from surrounding areas. Volunteers are sometimes moved to mobile clinics surrounding neighbourhoods’ or a different hospital outside of Port-au-Prince to respond to imminent needs that arise.
Konbit provides support to the J/P HRO team through the deployment of healthcare professionals and other volunteers. Volunteers who opt to be deployed at the J/P HRO camp will stay in a home located within a few minutes of the camp. They will be provided two meals per day (breakfast and dinner) and will be transported to the camp in the morning and back to the partner home in the evening. J/P HRO covers the cost of lodging and meals for all their volunteers in Haiti and they highly stress the security of their volunteers.
http://jphro.org/
2. Project Medishare
Project Medishare has been engaged in health and development work in Haiti for over 15 years. Less than 24 hours after the initial earthquake with the control tower still down at the airport and no air traffic control on the ground, Project Medishare set up a field-trauma hospital on the grounds of the Port-au-Prince airport at the request of Haitian President Rene Preval and the Haitian Ministry of Health. Since the earthquake Project Medishare has served thousands of patients.
Project Medishare continues its efforts in Port-au-Prince through specialty surgery programs such as the Pediatric Neurosurgery Program, which focused on children with hydrocephalus, and the Plastic Surgery Program, which focuses on children with cleft-lip and cleft-palates. They provide free prosthetic measurements for people who need them and they receive the prosthetic 24 hours after it is ordered and fit them for the patients free of charge.
Generally, medical professionals who volunteer with Project Medishare are scheduled for single deployments which last from Saturday to Saturday. They stay on site at L’Hopital Bernard Mevs which has joined forces with Medishare to provide medical volunteers to staff the hospital. They provide meals and transportation for all their volunteers. They also arrange four city tours per week for volunteers who want to see the city.
Theyare seeking specific medical professionals with the following speciality: Trauma/General Surgeon, Neurosurgeon, Orthopaedics, Anaesthesiologist, Plastic Surgery, Paediatric General, and Family/Internal Medicine. They also need need technicians who know how to work and maintain hospital equipment such as portable ultrasounds which is one of the many kinds of medical equipment they need. They are working on developing their mental health department for which they need Creole speaking mental health professionals to establish post traumatic support groups that will help patients and staff.
http://www.projectmedishare.org/
4. L’Hopital L’Espoir
In 1994 L’Hopital L’Espoir opened its door in the city of Delmas 75, a popular suburb of Port-au-Prince, to address the healthcare needs of orphans under the Fondation pour les Enfants D’Haïti’s (FEH) care. The Hospital is established under FEH and houses the main office of the Haitian Run NGO. Gladys Thomas, is the president of the foundation and has worked with a league of supporters from the United States since 1981 to build and operate two orphanages, three schools and L’Hopital L’Espoir. Since that time prenatal and maternity medicine have been added to the hospital’s mission. Out-patient and community health are a high priority, and over 11,000 children and mothers-to-be were treated in 2004. Today, it is a complete hospital with a psychology department, two operation rooms and a delivery room.
The hospital’s medical staff consists of two generalists, two pediatric physicians, two gynecologists, one urologist on call and one orthopedist on call. The hospital offers private rooms for patients who can afford it. This helps cover the cost of uninsured patients that they care for on a daily basis and patients who cannot pay for their services. Patients usually pay for their hospital stay and medication but in some cases medication is provided free of charge. No one is charged for operations.
The administration expressed a great need for biomedical technicians, respiratory therapists, ER doctors, prenatal and neo-natal specialists, intensive care and ontology specialists. Volunteers will be asked to prepare a training course in their specialty prior to deployment to support the staff in addition to contributing their medical services. Volunteers can pick the exact dates when they want to be deployed and can offer their services for 7 to 15 days. The hospital provides transportation and houses their volunteers at a guest house located five minutes away and provides them with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The guest house is equipped with internet, hot/cold water and a service staff. The prices are subject to change.
http://www.usfch.org/hospital.htm,
5. L’Hopital Justinien
The Physical Rehabilitation program at Justinien Hospital was recently established by the Ministry of Health in Haiti in collaboration with the Haiti Project of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The program is jointly managed by these two entities. The program has started as a response to the earthquake of January 12th, 2010. The goal is to ultimately establish a comprehensive and integrated rehabilitation program including: Physical and occupational therapy, care to the patients with limbs and spine injuries, prosthetics, orthotics, care to the disabled patients at Justinien Hospital. The program is very young and for now a physical therapy unit with all basic equipment is up and running. Three nurses have been hired and are receiving training in basic PT/OT skills with the help of the volunteers.
To facilitate the work of the volunteers, avoid conflicting scheduling and promote a meaningful experience for the volunteers, the following rules have been established:
The volunteers will communicate in advance (preferably 2 to 3 months) the period of time he/she would be willing to come to help.
A proper time will be chosen by the volunteer and the administration.
A minimum of a-week long service is required.
Transportation in the city of Cap-Haitien, including transportation to and from the Cap-Haitien.
The program doesn’t have lodging facilities as an integrated component for the volunteers.
However, they facilitate as needed lodging and meals arrangements for PT and OT.
http://familymedicine.med.miami.edu/x54.xml
Haiti Village Health (HVH)
HVH is an organization dedicated to providing “Sante Pou Yo,” Health for All. Founded by Dr. Tiffany Keenan in 2007, a small part time clinic has evolved into a permanent clinic that is staffed by local nurses and physicians. The clinic services the seaside village of Bod me Limbe and surrounding regions. This clinic has programs that include providing de-worming medications to every child as well as pre and neo natal care to female patients of child bearing age.
Not only does HVH address medical issues, but also conduct a variety of programs that help foster a sense of self-sustainability and empowerment within the community. HVH conducts public health education campaigns, village outreach programs, micro-credit programs, water sanitation, malaria prevention, family planning and childhood nutritional support.
Cooperation is key to HVH, as such, HVH has developed relationships with the local Haitian government, local villages, and other NGOs located in the area. With local and international support on all levels regarding health care services and community development, HVH strives to assist the people of rural Haiti in whatever capacity it is able to do with highest quality care and compassion it can provide.
Volunteers will stay in a secure guest house adjacent to the primary clinic. Bod me Limbe is located about an hour drive west of Cap Haitien. Volunteers will be provided beds with mosquito nets as well as internet access, permitted internet is available at the time.
Meals and water are available and is provided by HVH, but all volunteers are encouraged to bring power bars.
All details and inquiries can be further discussed with the HVH Volunteer Coordinator.
www.haitivillagehealth.ca
Nicola Feldman, MSc
Fund and Partnership Development
Haiti Village Health
* If you choose to cancel your trip to Haiti after your flight has been booked and confirmed you will be responsible for reimbursing Konbit for Haiti the full cost of your airfare. We require all volunteers to sign our Cancellation Agreement before booking their trips to Haiti.
