Sante Total Winter Medical Team Report December 28-January 4, 2011

Sante Total, in conjunction with students and physicians from Tulane University School of Medicine and the local leadership organization, Haiti Community of St. Rose (CSR), successfully completed the fifth joint medical relief trip to Jacsonville, Haiti. The team was made up of 5 Tulane medical students: Alison Smith, Alex Gyftopoulos, Thomas Chen, Min Kwak and Justine Stremick; 2 Tulane residents: Dr. Christopher Rodgman (Psychiatry) and Dr. Rohini Singh (Adult and Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics), 3 Louisiana State University medical students: Stephanie LaVergne, Patrick Clerkin, and Uzma Naeem, and resident Dr. Shalinee Khurana (Pediatrics) from Baltimore. Attending physicians were Dr. Graeme Rodgman (Family Practice) of Canada and Dr. Barbara Weis (Pediatrics) of Baltimore. Dr. Weis’ daughter, Christina Stiles, also joined the team as a volunteer.Clinic was full with patients for six days despite overlapping with several Haitian holidays. In total, over 600 patients were evaluated and treated, including many return patients from past clinics. Of interest, a local handicap association requested that members of their organization be seen and treated by the medical team, which signifies the ongoing need and support from local leaders for this medical project. About a dozen local leaders, translators, and medical staff were critical to the success of the clinic. Many thanks to Dr. Mayer Heiman and the International Hospital for Children, and Debbie Gertsner-Wolf for assistance in providing the medicines necessary to continue to work of the clinic.Three “emergency” situations presenting during this trip, which stressed the need for the medical team to prepare and come properly equipped for these situations in which seriously ill patients cannot be transported to the hospital without prior stabilization. Fortunately, the medical team was able to care for all three patients and transport them to the hospital safely, resulting in survival of all of the patients.Medical team members also met with leaders of Haiti CSR to discuss the budget and floor plan for the construction of a permanent primary care clinic in Jacsonville. The joint goal is to have a clinic building constructed by Summer 2012.

Cholera outreach ventures were continued from the November efforts. A special acknowledgement must be made to the organization, AmeriCares, especially their Haitian staff in Port Au Prince, who worked tirelessly with Haiti CSR for many weeks to transport a large carton of cholera relief donations to Jacsonville. These vital items included: iv fluids, Pedialyte, hand sanitizers, and oral rehydration solutions. This supply will continue to prove to be invaluable as the epidemic continues to spread. Hand sanitizers and water purification tablets were distributed to over 100 families in Jacsonville thanks to the generous donation of Ms. Elaine Langley, RN, and her organization, Plenty.

Relief efforts were also viewed in Port Au Prince before the team’s departure, including visiting the largest hospital in the city, the General Hospital. The situation from the earthquake devastation continues to remain precarious as millions of people