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Posts Tagged ‘Partners in Health’

Update on Haiti from Partners in Health

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Brandie Conforti, Director of Corporate Relations for Partners in Health (PIH), sent a recap of a recent conference call with PIH co-founder, Dr. Paul Farmer, PIH physician, Dr. Koji Nakashima and Chief Program Officer, Ted Constan.  Here are some of the highlights:

  • The country as a whole—from government entities to the individuals whose lives were devastated by the quake—will need what Paul described as “patient [enduring] accompaniment” as well as a huge injection of resources. Comparing the process of rebuilding in Haiti to that of a blood transfusion, Paul remarked we were going to need “a very large needle.”
  • Koji provided an update on the number of patients treated since the earthquake struck four weeks ago, estimating that 3,000 patients have been seen across the four existing PIH sites that received the highest number of earthquake related injuries. (These figures do not include the several thousands of patients treated at the University Hospital in Port au Prince.)  He added that one third of those 3,000 patients will need ongoing care and that PIH staff and volunteers have performed 500 surgeries with 200 people still hospitalized for inpatient care.
  • Ted spoke about what PIH needs from supporters now and in the future by outlining three major areas:

1. Maintaining and building strong partnerships with other organizations.  Over the past 20 years and particularly in the last month since the earthquake, PIH has learned a great deal about supporting services that are not directly medical, including bringing clean water to communities, supporting economic development through job creation, and providing access to education.

2. Haiti’s struggle—and triumphs—must stay in the news if we are to garner to the support and momentum needed to truly build back better.  Supporters can act as extensions of PIH’s Communications Team by ensuring that Haiti’s recovery continues to be a topic covered in local news.

3. Financial support will continue to be critical. PIH has always responded to the needs of our patients, and monetary support allows us to remain nimble as we determine how best to respond to those needs in the short, medium, and long term.

If you would like to listen to the conference call, you can download it here: http://act.pih.org/Donor-Update-Call-Recording-202.10.10.wav

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Update from Partners in Health

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Here’s the latest from Susan W. Sayers, Director of Institutional Development at Partners in Health:

January 26, 2010 update from Haiti:

  • Having returned to Boston from Haiti on Saturday, PIH Medical Director Dr. Joia Mukherjee held a press conference call today.  Stressing the need to strengthen the health systems through the public sector, she answered questions about topics ranging from PIH’s response to women’s health needs to the monumental task of resettling millions of homeless people before the rainy season begins in April.  Dr. Mukherjee also stated that the time has come to change the model of emergency aid from to one in which resources—financial and material—remain in country long after relief workers had left.  “Haiti’s strength is in her people,” she explained, going on to say that long term investment in local institutions and individuals was the only way to rebuild the country.
  • Reverse migration continues to be of great concern as earthquake survivors flee the rubble of Port-au-Prince for the countryside; indeed the Government of Haiti is now encouraging residents of the capital city to take refuge in other parts of the country.  PIH is already seeing this influx in our catchment area in the Central Plateau and Artibonite.  Writing from one of the PIH facilities in the Lower Artibonite PIH co-founder and Executive Director Ophelia Dahl noted, “Important to note that as all the surgery, casting and x raying was going on, the courtyard was filled with at least 200-300 patients. Doctors were seeing them, as always. The nutrition program was taking place with mothers and babies sitting waiting for their children to be seen and weighed.” Our program to detect and treat pediatric malnutrition is just one of many that PIH will need to scale up significantly to meet particular needs of this extremely vulnerable displaced population.
  • While we are beginning to focus more attention on long-term recovery and rebuilding plans, we are still dedicating enormous energy to the immediate needs of quake survivors.   Writing from Cange, Ophelia reported, “Yesterday two spinal patients were evacuated from Cange to the USNS Comfort. They were prepped here, put in traction to prevent any movement and then driven down slowly.” We also continue to have a steady flow of supplies and volunteers.  Nine anesthesia machines arrived in Port-au-Prince this morning, and a donated dialysis machine is being shipped from Dallas via Miami.
  • Dr. Mark Hyman, a volunteer surgeon who connected with PIH in the hours following the earthquake and has been working out of the University Hospital (HUEH) with Dr. Evan Lyon and others, was interviewed this morning on CNN’s American Morning.  You can watch the video here: American Morning CNN

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Haiti: How You Can Help

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

The people of Haiti continue to remain in our hearts.  It is vital that we do not forget the tremendous need that exists and will continue to exist for weeks to come.

We have spoken with members who are well informed of the situation in Haiti and they were able to advise on the most effective way to contribute.  After much consideration, PTPI has decided to support Partners in Health with a donation from the International Friendship Fund.

Sending the check to Partners in Health! Mary Jean Eisenhower and PTPI staff members Paige (who you can barely see!), Kelly, Katherine, Rebecca, Brian and Liz drop the check down the mail chute at PTPI World HQ

Sending the check to Partners in Health! Mary Jean Eisenhower and PTPI staff members Paige (who you can barely see!), Kelly, Katherine, Rebecca, Brian and Liz drop the check down the mail chute at PTPI World HQ

Partners in Health has been providing healthcare in Haiti for more than 20 years.  They are incredibly well equipped to address the immediate needs of the communities they know so well.  Today we send a contribution from the International Friendship Fund and encourage our members to help match this gift.  To donate online, go to www.ptpi.org.  Please make sure to indicate in your note that your donation is for Haiti relief.

The dedication of our PTPI family to humanitarianism is evident in the efforts already taking place around the globe:

  • PTPI’s Sheboygan, Wisconsin Chapter collected $550 at their board meeting to add to the contribution from the International Friendship Fund.
  • Students in the Casablanca, Morocco (Sultans of Peace) Student Chapter are using every penny in their treasury for relief efforts, and are collecting more through money jars around their school and bake sales which they made posters to advertise.
  • PTPI’s Sofia, Bulgaria Student Chapter plans to donate the funds received from winning the Team Peace Challenge Award to help in Haiti.
  • The Kharkiv, Ukraine Student chapter is busy making plans for a supply collection and/or fundraising drive.

We will continue to keep you updated on the relief efforts of both Partners in Health and the members of PTPI.

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