Day 5: Summary Medical Update (No. 4 & 5 of 6)

Day 5: Summary Rescue Update (No. 4,5 of 6)

MEDICAL CARE: and (below) new Medical Director for Haiti Effort

Medical Response:

Many advances were made in medical care, and many teams from around the world are operating -- though often without sufficient surgical or orthopedic equipment –sometimes none at all. But volunteer doctors are streaming in – not as quickly as hoped, but this may improve now. See below:

VOLUNTEER DOCS, NURSES:

The arrival of fleets of airplanes bringing in aid has also allowed a large-scale exodus of the wounded, who have been sent to hospitals in islands around the region, and today, began filling south Florida hospitals. Cuba’s agreement to allow flights over its airspace has shaved considerable time for air-vac flights.

Tomorrow will bring the arrival of the Navy hospital ship with many operating theatres and a large supply of additional medicine.


How to Volunteer:

The Southern Command announced it was working to identify more nurses and doctors and medical personnel willing to serve. Send email with name, contact info, areas of specialization, language skills, availability to: Tony Colmenares, the coordinator for South Comm for med personnel.Email: colmenarest@usa.redcross.org. Tel. 786-566-0551.

While the outpouring of offers by volunteer doctors and nurses is huge, many aid groups cannot absorb the volunteers yet – because the roads make it hard to place physicians in areas where they are badly needed. One example: One California nurses union has recruited some 900 nurse volunteers– but nurses who are awaiting word have heard nothing. That’s because the roads and debris make it hard for medical groups in the field already to absorb new volunteers and dispatch them to areas inaccessible by land or road.

Note: American Airlines declared days ago it would take earthquake medic volunteers for free.

New Offer: Today, the Haitian embassy announced it was collecting offers of assistance from those with medical skills.

The Dominican Red Cross also sent word that vol docs and nurses would be welcomed there. They are operating the staging area hospital and distribution at the border in Jimani and already have teams with back up in HAITI

Where: Calle Juan Enrique Dunant #51, Ensanche Miraflores, Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana. Teléfono: 809 334-4545, 809-412-8207 Fax: 809 412-8360, 809-238-5252

5 - SUBJECT: Haiti Medical and Language Tools

John Ringdon (jrigdon@researchonline.net) posted to a Haiti listserve about a directory he’s compiling of Haitian docs and will add vols. Here’s his note, sent mid-day Sat:

Many thanks to the volunteers that pitched in to help with the updating of the Haiti Medical Directory today. It has grown from 28 to 38 pages and is now on line at http://www.ngohaiti.com/disaster/index.htm

There are now about a dozen books and CDs on the site and I will be adding others tonight. Tomorrow if we have the volunteers, we will be working on compiling a list of medical professionals looking to join up a with a group and a list of groups already on the ground and their needs. I'm sorry, but I don't think we can respond to individual requests for aid, but list the groups, where they are working, and what personnel and supplies they need.

I also have a Haiti Business Directory and my Haiti NGO Directory of several thousand names that we need volunteers to work on updating so we can get them on line. Hopefully those will be up by early next week.

I'm not wanting to duplicate efforts. If you know of people working on these lists, or have ideas for other lists you need, let me know.
Contact me directly with offers to help type or ideas for lists needed. -- John Rigdon