HAH continues to serve in the midst of violence

At the end of February, I packed my carry-on and headed out on a short trip from Haiti back to the US. Several days later, the Haitian airport was commandeered by gangs, and all commercial flights were canceled for three months. Even though it is now possible to fly to Haiti, the situation around the hospital has changed. I wake up to endearing messages nearly every day from staff desiring our return, but the hospital chauffeur and others tell us we still need to wait. Most of the lawlessness you hear about on the news was previously a few miles away, but now gangs have taken over the community immediately surrounding the hospital and Adventist University. They chased the police away, and immediately outside our gates, heavily armed individuals freely roam the streets.

Some lab reagents I was planning to take back to Haiti with me in March were recently nearing expiration in a refrigerator in Loma Linda. We called Ben Siapco (pictured below), who is a roving lab technician for Adventist Health International, to see if he could use these supplies at a different facility. He suggested that he make a trip to Haiti and deliver them. Staff at HAH said that the gangs had planned a ceasefire for seven days to allow the children in school to get through their final exams, and as long as Ben came and went before they let loose again, things should be okay. Ben is 83 and wiser and bolder than any of us. Two days later, he took a red-eye flight, delivered the supplies, fixed some lab equipment, and returned to Loma Linda before the deadline. Even for Ben, the journey from the airport to the hospital was unsettling; their car was stopped several times by heavily armed individuals.

Ben Siapco

Hospital Still Fully Functional

Our staff are putting forth a tremendous effort to keep the hospital fully functional and care for the many patients who continue to come. Mackenson, the Chief Operating Officer, is doing a phenomenal job leading the team.  Jere Chrispens, our CEO, is in constant communication with him, and our administrative team meets regularly through video conferences. In the meantime, I am preparing a shipping container of equipment and supplies for the hospital, working part-time at Loma Linda University, and have made several trips to Africa to teach limb reconstruction and pediatric spine surgery.

Laundry housekeeping and kitchen workers keep our hospital going behind the scenes

The HAH dental clinic that opened last year is operating at full capacity.  Many physicians, nurses, and dentists are unfortunately leaving the country.  However, those still in Haiti are eager to work at our hospital because it is one of the area’s few functioning health care facilities. Dr. Jacky Jean, my orthopedic colleague, recently departed for Canada after facing threats from gangsters and pressure from his family. He is an excellent surgeon, and this was a big loss for HAH.  Fortunately, two recent graduates from the state hospital orthopedic residency program are excited to join our team. They did several rotations at our hospital during their training, and they were two of the best residents in the program. Dr. Archelus, who did a fellowship with us, is doing an incredible job of caring for orthopedic needs in Port de Paix, a remote area in northern Haiti with no other orthopedic surgeons.

Gratitude Amid Challenges

Maintaining a stable power supply is one of our biggest challenges at the hospital. We only have city power about 30% of the time, and even with our solar panels, functioning generators are still required. Currently, a battery backup system allows our operating room, lab, and business office to function without disruption, even when other sources of electricity are not functioning.

Jacques services the 200KW CAT generator

In past years, most of our donor funding has been used to build infrastructure. This includes the solar power system, renovations, oxygen generation, and other projects.  These have greatly increased our capacity and decreased our operating expenses. Given the economic challenges of Haiti and the many patients who need our services, we are now judiciously subsidizing operating expenses to make sure that our employees are paid in a timely fashion, supplies are kept in stock, and patients without resources receive the treatment they need. We remain committed to the success of HAH and to helping those in need. Your support in the past, present, and future is greatly appreciated and making a huge difference in the lives of many.

Child awaiting operation

HAH is still going strong with many patients coming every day