February 6, 2010: Hope Force staff member, Craig Snow, went to the Adventist Hospital near Port-au-Prince to further our medical assessments. Seeing the profound impact our orthopedic supplies are having “on the ground”, Craig relates, “Dr. Nelson stepped out of surgery to meet us and was very welcoming. We informed him about the donation of Pelvic Fragment Trays and he was very excited. They had a pelvic surgery case that afternoon and they didn’t have the needed equipment until we showed up! It was a moving experience to be a part of a miracle.” Click here to read the full story.

Many aid organizations compare the aftermath of Haiti’s quake to a war zone. Most hospital facilities suffered structural damage and were completely unprepared for the dramatic influx of severely injured people. Many patients were initially treated in hospitals without light or electricity. Jack Minton comments, “My impression of the devastation in Haiti, having seen it first-hand, equally brought to mind a war zone, however it was much worse in many aspects. Most troops going into battle are trained to face chaos, loss and casualties. Haiti was not.”

After the earthquake, the majority of surgeries were conducted with the aid of local anesthesia only. This included amputations as well as major surgery. There were reports of hospitals using vodka or rum in a desperate attempt to sterilize instruments. Through heroic efforts on behalf of numerous partners, our first Hope Force anesthesia machine has already arrived in Haiti and is in use today. We have a partner hospital in Port-au-Prince awaiting the arrival of our second anesthesia machine.

 

We cannot ship it to the people of Haiti until we have the funding. The cost of shipment from the USA to Haiti is $2.50 per pound – our 1,600 pound shipment will cost $4,000. Please consider how you can help with this urgent need. A $25 gift will help toward ten pounds of shipping costs. A $250 gift will go toward 100 pounds. Whatever you can give today, please join us in meeting this need.  Donate Now

 

According to Handicap International, roughly 80% of people arriving at Haiti’s hospitals have orthopedic injuries. “The predominant condition is lower extremity (leg) injuries. There appears to be a high prevalence of amputations, both as primary and secondary interventions. Complete or partial damage to almost all existing health facilities has significantly impacted the availability of emergency surgical and medical care. Poor follow-up at the community level raises major concerns about the immediate future of these injured persons, many of whom are homeless and have lost family members.”

 

Our relationship with Smith & Nephew, the country’s largest supplier of orthopedic implants and instruments, continues to provide a vital link in our ability to meet the need in Haiti. The cost of shipping, handling, and distributing $2,000,000 of critically needed orthopedic supplies is approximately $16,000. Every dollar donated to this endeavor represents $125 of distributed orthopedic supplies. You can give today to help us continue this project.  

 

Thank you for partnering with us during this time of critical need amongst the people of Haiti.