Printed from: https://www.cmf.org.uk/news/?id=197
CMF currently has nine members in Haiti, who have joined a Samaritan's Purse team, helping with the fight against cholera.
We've been hearing from Abi Boys' (whose posts are below), but we've just had another update from Alex Bunn, who has a portfolio career which includes being the CMF student Southern Team Leader.
Alex writes: 'I'm taking a day off today, so finally have a moment to reflect. It's quite a tight schedule, up at 5am to arrive before sunrise at the cholera camp, back at 7:30pm. We avoid the roads in daylight hours partly for security. It was quite unnerving on the first day to see a couple of guys on motorbikes speed past our Landcruiser brandishing guns, until we realised they were our armed escort! With any news about the elections there are rumours of unrest that may boil over into riots or 'manifestations' on the streets. That would mean a lockdown at the clinic too, but so far we have been spared.
One abiding memory of the camp will be the ubiquitous bleach. Every time we leave a ward we have to splash through trays of it. My trainers have never shone so white! And there's a tank of 0.2% stationed at every gateway, where an attendant barks "WASH! WASH!" at all who pass. They should try that strategy in the NHS! Quite a sweet gesture from the chaplains: every night they are waiting to greet us with bleach brushes to decontaminate our shoes one more time. It seems a fittingly Levitical role for a pastor!
It is quite a luxury to be so selective in our admissions: no enteropathy, no entry! Although we get an occasional hint about the struggling state sector when we receive the overflow from their overwhelmed clinics. And there is a hint of sadness in the eyes as the numbers wane: many staff here don't have regular work, so the end of an epidemic might spell unemployment for many of them. Long term, economic restructuring is going to be the greatest need, one that won't respond so easily to the goodwill of a few volunteers. Lets keep praying!'
Alex Bunn, Friday 21 January 2011, Haiti.
For more details on Samaritan's Purse go to www.samaritans-purse.org.uk
Abi Boys is another of the nine CMF members helping with the fight against cholera in Haiti.
She's been telling us about the political and clinical challenges facing their team.
Abi writes: 'As we pass the 200,000 mass grave for earthquake victims, our Haitian driver and security guard sing along in French to an anthemic Celine Dion tune. But the back of the minibus is silent. Dusk is falling, and we're on our way from our compound to the cholera treatment centre, right in the midst of the Cité Soleil slum. Each of us is reflecting on the gravity of what we've just passed and the anticipation of the dehydrated patients the night promises to bring. It often feels like work in Haiti is damage limitation; it's hard to know where their hope will come from.
Speaking with the locals, there's a feeling the forthcoming election won't provide them with hope for the future. There's anger at the KEP (the election company) and wanting to do away with President Préval – reflected in the graffiti you can see at the police check point 'ABA KEP, arrete Préval' which I'm told means 'go away K.E.P and stop Préval – put him in jail'. And yet they don't seem happy with any candidates – the two remaining candidates are a university teacher (Mirlande Manigat) and a singer (Michel Martelly). The word on the street is that the singer will win because people feel uplifted by him, but they don't expect he can run the country!
We arrive at the heavily secured treatment centre, one of the poorest and gang heavy regions of Haiti. Immediately we bleach our hands and go to our container where we can leave our things (and the only place we are allowed to eat or drink). The layout of the centre is separated into a triage area, resuscitation area and wards divided into male, female and children. Between each zone are bleaching handwash and foot trough stations, manned by staff who yell 'wash' in case you try to pass without decontaminating. Thankfully the cholera numbers are diminishing, but we are still getting patients brought in at the brink of death.
Halfway through the night we're informed by security that there's some gang activity outside (retribution for an attack the previous night), and it's likely there'll be gunshots. We're condensed into a retreated position inside our compound to avoid stray bullets. As the cholera 'epidemic' is being downscaled to just 'endemic', it's clear this is just one of many challenges the Haitians are having, and have had, to deal with. Local staff are afraid; some of our patients do not want to leave because they feel safer in our compound. I wonder how many insults the Haitian people can withstand, resilient as they seem? They say the change must come from the people themselves. Certainly it would be helped by a stable government and responsible President.
The chaos and corruption in the first election, the surprise arrival of 'Baby Doc' [former president Jean-Claude Duvalier], and the piles of rubble across the country, make you think progress is still decades away. But when I see aid organisations empowering a community; when I look at an individual or a family – collecting water, eating well, finding shelter, kids going to school – there's a feeling that the grassroots people may just be the ones to turn things around.'
Abi Boys, Wednesday 19 January 2011, Haiti.
Here is Abi's first blog post from Haiti, received on 17 January:
Abi writes:
'I was impressed as we arrived at the massive, floodlit 240 bed purpose built cholera centre (run by Samaritan's Purse) that the banner outside declared "Cholera Treatment and Prevention Centre". And it is largely due to the simultaneous prevention and treatment approach that the epidemic numbers have dropped over the past few weeks. Basic disease and hygiene education have led to restricted spread, families recognising the symptoms and bringing patients in earlier - so intervention (getting IVs in) is easier, and improved response rates. I understand the mortality rates have been kept below average (normally 2%, in our clinic around 0.5%)
During the night shift in the admissions area we saw some people presenting with early or mild to moderate cholera who could be trialled to see if they responded to Oral Rehydration Solution alone. Those who present with severe, frequent vomiting and diarrhoea (watery and white - to distinguish it from typhoid or other infection) go straight to the IV tent, where immediate fluid resuscitation is started. Vast, vast quantities are essential to retrieve these patients and secure survival. Once a few litres are in, within the first hour, there is often very quick transformation. A great relief to see a patient who was lethargic, sunken eyes, unaware and unbothered by our attempts to put a cannula in, and become awake and thankful to be alive!
Once stabilised, the patient is transferred to the men's, women's or children's wards. The set-up has to be basic and systematic. Beds lined up with crude holes in the centre for the frequent passing of waterfall stools, three buckets; one beneath the hole, one to change over when it's full, and one by the head for vomiting. Fluid management is monitored on at least an hourly basis. Most are in hospital for 2 to 3 days. Lives are being saved!'
Abi Boys, Monday 17 January 2011, Haiti.
Steven Fouch (CMF Head of Communications) 020 7234 9668
Alistair Thompson on 07970 162 225
Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 5,000 doctors, 900medical and nursing students and 300 nurses and midwives as members in all branches of medicine, nursing and midwifery. A registered charity, it is linked to over 100 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.
CMF exists to unite Christian healthcare professionals to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.
