I am writting this diary on behalf of a small but potent relief organization, Angel Wings International.
www.angelwingsinternational.org
Angel Wings has been providing basic and primary care in Haiti since 2007 and is headed by a wonderful Haiti-born woman, Myrlande Affriany -- link to the group's About Us page here: "About Us"
Myrlande was born in Haiti and grew up in New York before moving to Miami. She of course has many members of her family in Haiti, most of whom have reported back as survivors of the quake. However she is still has not heard from at least 4 other members.
Mylande's group consists of an rapidly growing number of South Florida physicians, nurses, and other medical specialists who are preparing themselves to enter Haiti as soon as transportation into Haiti and basic infrastructure can be established. Being a medical relief team with longstanding experience in Haiti, they are clearly anxious to get in as soon as possible to save as many lives as they can and healing the wounded. Here is a very brief summary of our intial strategy:
- Assembling skills-based medical team with adult/pediatric physicians, surgeon, nursing/medical technicians. We will create several teams prepared to rotate every 2-4 weeks into Haiti. We'll adjust medical skills needs as they arise
- We are eliciting local contributions of dry foods, water and water filtration kits, medicine and medical supplies to prepare the teams to be self sufficient while they do their work, and to allow other food/water relief organizations to focus on feeding the victims.
- Myrlande is strategizing with an expert in the field of constructing MASH Units, and our goal to establish temporary and flexible MASH units for tending to victims and performing procedures and surgeries.
- We are preparing for a wide-spread breakout of infectious disease due to the large number of decomposing bodies beneath the rubble. Because there is a virtual lack of earthmoving equipment, we expect that local rodent and insect infestation will explode and lead to high potential risks for spread of commnicable diseases. We are preparing our teams with appropriate vaccinations and supplies of anti-infectious medications and measures. Recall also that Haiti has among the highest rates of Tuberculosis in the developing countries.
Relief team members will be putting themselves into very real risks for infections and health risks.
- As important as the initial entry and establishment of local relief efforts, is the ongoing coordination/logistal support that is required to support the relief teams on the ground. We will have State-side team members who will continue to solicit support/supplies and get these valuable supplies into the teams to keep them stocked with what they need. It will be a 24hr a day effort for God-knows how long...
- I want to strongly urge you not to assume that "there is already plent of relief organizations there, they don't need anymore help". As a former medical and disaster relief worker during the 2005 Tsunami disaster, i can assure you that the size of need in Haiti is much larger than can be provided by ALL U.S. and International relief organizations combined. We are talking OVER 2 million people in need and who's health and lives will continue to be at risk as the disaster evolves from "rescue operations" to "survival operations".
As it was in Sri Lanka and other tsunami disaster countries, once "rescue efforts" come to a close and the national media turns their cameras away from Haiti, the important work continues.
Angle Wings will stay and continue to tend to injuries and illness that will surely persist. We will anticipate a huge need for psychological and counseling efforts during the "survival" phase of the relief efforts. In my experience in Sri Lanka, there numbers of suicides and deaths from psychological stress and trauma was just as tragic as the physical injuries.
- Finally, i remind you that this is a local relief effort, headed and lead by a native of Haiti and with deep personal connections, and already with deep personal losses.
I know this community is confronted with MANY different ways of contributing to the relief efforts in Haiti. But i ask that you consider supporting this small but potent organization as they prepare to lend their direct personal efforts in the relief.
We've sent money, we've bought shelter boxes. Now i am asking that my Daily Kos family to directly support a medical team. If you chose to do so, please go here: DONATE
And if you feel sufficiently generous, please consider Rec-ing this diary to the top
I will be joining them as a physician at the earliest opportunity. Once we land in Haiti, and if it is possible, my intention is to send daily photo and diaries back to our Daily Kos community to report on our efforts. My background in disaster support has included medical care and regional relief coordination for Medical Teams Internation in Sri Lanka during the 2005 Tsunami disaster.