The Mission Begins

Two weeks after a catastrophic earthquake rocked Haiti, the AHVED Medical Relief Team was providing life-saving care for countless survivors. The Palm Beach County-based Association of Haitians Living Abroad for Development (AHVED) has recruited more than 40 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals for week-long trips designed to treat the injured and dying in devastated communities outside Port-Au-Prince.

"Haiti is becoming like a morgue,"" said Pauline Jean Simon, AHVED President. "I don't think anyone could watch what's going on there and do nothing."

The AHVED Medical Team arrived in the Haitian capital Thursday, January 21st 2010. Though stunned by the suffering they encountered and hindered by unexpected logistical snags, the team worked quickly to set up a full scale medical facility in Petite Riviere L'Arbonite, some 65 miles from Port-Au-Prince. They arrived at the small hospital with 3,500 pounds of medical equipment and supplies, donated by the volunteer doctors, St. Mary's Medical Center and Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. Highly experienced nurses, EMTs and even community volunteers rushed to unpack and prepare the first operating room, as well as assess the conditions of patients in the immediate area. Poor roads made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for most patients to get to the facility. Team members used their own money to pay for buses and vans; then scoured the streets for people needing care and transported them back to the hospital.

Doctors used email and text messages to communicate patient needs. Haitian doctors offered their help and soon surgeons, anesthesiologists, critical care physicians, infectious disease specialists and pediatricians were all seeing patients. People in the most critical condition went straight to the operating room. In many cases the doctors performed surgeries that saved lives. As the most critical patients rested in recovery, orthopedic surgeons focused on other traumatic injuries.

The speed and efficiency of the operation enabled the team to accept patients from hospitals that were unable to handle the massive workload. The team managed to handle volumes including 15 major operations a day, along with 10 minor cases and scores of broken bones. Observers call those numbers astounding for a hospital with only two operating rooms and one anesthesia cart.

The Mission Continues

AHVED has sent two more teams to the hospital in Petite Riviere L'Aribonite. A group of health care professionals recruited by Light of the World Ministries joined AHVED for the most recent trip. AHVED is also teaming up with The City of Lake Worth, Florida to send crates of medical supplies, food and clothing to the area.

While survivors in need of treatment for broken bones and other injuries still pour into the hospital, the team is also taking care of patients with conditions caused by the quake's aftermath. Diarrhea is taking a frightening toll on Haiti's infants and children. There has been a major breakdown in Haiti's sanitation and clean water systems. Most medical relief teams must also focus on community health care to reduce the rate of infection and disease among those left homeless by the disaster.

The risk of low supplies and high patient volume is always present, so team members must stay on top of their inventories and work to arrange the delivery of additional supplies when necessary. Team members also use many creative ideas to conserve supplies. Anesthesiologists travel light and sometimes improvise the equipment needed to provide effective anesthesia and pain-control.

Doctors say the nature of their respective medical practices prepared them for every possible task, from pulling their own instruments to mopping floors.

"Nothing is beneath us to get the job done right,"" said Dr. Daniel Kapp. "We all relied on our many years of experience as doctors, nurses, orderlies and sterilization technicians."

AHVED is a non-profit community organization made up primarily of Haitian-Americans and Haitian nationals, so its members serve as translators for the patients and medical staff. They also provide firsthand knowledge of Haitian culture, so the health care providers could better appreciate the needs and anxieties of their patients. AHVED arranges all air travel, ground transportation and meals for the medical relief team. The team is especially grateful to the people in the local community who opened their homes to them.

AHVED is committed to continuing its medical relief operation in Haiti for as long as possible. The Haitian community is a vital part of the South Florida community.

"We owe it to our families, our friends and our community back home."

The AHVED Medical Team is determined to help the people of Haiti through this incredibly difficult time, but it desperately needs the support of AHVED members, friends and other concerned members of the community. You can make a tax-deductible contribution in our website or mail us a check. The team also welcomes medical supply and equipment donations.

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