Update from GHESKIO

Tuesday, January 26: 8 a.m. from Dr Jean Pape

REFUGEE CAMP:

a) Food: We are distributing what we can but there are thousands and thousands of people. We need to obtain and distribute more food. Many aid organizations are afraid to bring the food into our neighborhood. We know that once we have the razor wires to limit the boundaries of the compound we can deliver food successfully with the Haitian police. b) Sanitation: Obtain latrines - promised by several organizations but nothing to date. We distributed “sanitary kits” with a bucket and toilet paper to each family so that people can use the bucket as a commode in their tent and then dump it across the street away from the compound.c) Shelter: Obtain tents: we have been lucky as it has not rained, but this is a top priority.d) Security: Thanks to the assistance of friends at US PEPFAR - the US army is now providing security to the entire compound including GHESKIO. The situation is much improved. This has reassured our staff, patients and the large refugee population.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES:

GHESKIO staff is integrating well with the United States Government team. The new camp leader is Dr. Suzan Briggs, a trauma surgeon. Dr. Henri Ford, Surgeon in Chief, at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles is a Haitian American surgeon who volunteered with the US Government team and has been critical in establishing coordination. GHESKIO obstetrics and gynecology doctors are now working in the field hospital.Priorities: a) We must transfer children with tracheotomy to hospitals with available respirators (a rare commodity)b) Medical cots for the outpatient unitc) Establish a rehabilitation unit for people who had amputations or other severe injuries

AIDS and TB CARE:

Out-patients AIDS and TB care continues. Our TB lab is operational and serving other field hospitals. We must find a way to hospitalize TB patients who had trauma surgery, "a post-operative TB treatment center." For infection control purposes these patients should not be at the same post-op centers as other patients. They will give tuberculosis to the other patients. The GHESKIO sanatorium collapsed during the earthquake; we are seeking another site.