Doctor: Misinformation and Racism Have Frozen Recovery Effort at General Hospital in Port-au-Prince
By Democracy Now!
January 19, 2010
“There are no security issues,” says Dr. Evan Lyon of Partners in Health, reporting from the General Hospital in Port-Au-Prince in Haiti, where 1,000 people are in need of operations. Lyon said the reports of violence in the city have been overblown by the media and have affected the delivery of aid and medical services.
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JUAN GONZALEZ: Amy Goodman is in Haiti, and we’ll be joining her in a few minutes. But first, we turn to a voice from one hospital in Port-au-Prince that was badly destroyed by last week’s earthquake. The General Hospital is three blocks from the crumbling National Palace.
Former President Bill Clinton visited the hospital Monday, as hundreds of people with broken limbs and multiple fractures were waiting for medical supplies to arrive.
Democracy Now! reached Dr. Evan Lyon at the General Hospital Monday evening. He is a doctor with Partners in Health.
DR. EVAN LYON: We’ve been working around the clock since our team from Partners in Health came to meet up with our Haitian colleagues, who are still here and still leading and still helping us recover to try to get this hospital back up and running. The infrastructure is really, you know, completely destroyed. There is a nursing school on this campus that collapsed completely, killing really, as far as we know now, the entire class of second-year nursing students. The medical school right behind me is-will not ever be usable again.
But the main problem is that this General Hospital, the main general public hospital for the city of Port-au-Prince, is still barely operational. We have a thousand patients scattered throughout the campus, mostly sleeping under the stars or sleeping in tents, a thousand patients who have been triaged, assessed. They’re getting primary care. They’re getting good medical care from Haitian staff and from volunteer international relief staff. But we are just scratching the surface of the operative needs of the orthopedic and other operative needs. Again, 1,000 people in need of operations, and we’re just barely starting to scratch the surface.
Two days ago, we began operating. We had four operating rooms up as quick as possible and have been using them ever since. We don’t have full proper anesthesia. We’re missing many of the materials we need. But that has been working. As of last night, we have some electricity on the campus, and we’ll be able to start operating twenty-four hours a day through this night and on through tomorrow.
I think, you know, the scene and the situation, I know, is clear to many, certainly anyone who has followed Haiti and cared about this special country. One thing that I think is really important for people to understand is that misinformation and rumors and, I think at the bottom of the issue, racism has slowed the recovery efforts of this hospital. “Security issues” over the last forty-eight hours have been our … leading concern. And there are no security issues. I’ve been with my Haitian colleagues. I’m staying at a friend’s house in Port-au-Prince. We’re working for the Ministry of Public Health for the direction of this hospital as volunteers. But I’m living and moving with friends. We’ve been circulating throughout the city until 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning every night, evacuating patients, moving materials. There’s no UN guards. There’s no US military presence. There’s no Haitian police presence. And there’s also no violence. There is no insecurity.
And one of the main reasons this hospital was not given priority is because of these concerns for “security” and that has been very hard to suffer through with my colleagues here in Port-au-Prince.
JUAN GONZALEZ: That was Dr. Evan Lyon of Partners in Health talking about the situation at the General Hospital in Haiti.
Source: Democracy Now!
When mis-information is deliberately handed out, one has to ask Why? New reports are that they are still pulling people alive from the rubble, but the poor were urged to burn their slums. What of the poor under the rubble there, including children like the one the Australin news crews saved? France and Doctors Without Borders are refused permission to land, Why? and are rescues being organized for wealthy areas while the poor die at the rate of 70,000 a day, estimated?I ask these questions because Caribbean people have the reponsibility to keep the feet of the major donors to the fire, so that all Haitians get help, not just the children of the wealthy, those in American and European run orphanages, and one or two glorified poor children.If a planeload of orphans can leave for Holland, Doctors Without Borders could have landed! Today ends my one year of ustinted support for President Obama. He needs to watch out less the venom of the pen that I can create, be directed against his projects. He needs to understand that the AMERICAN CIA is an organization that is self perpetuating, and will outlast him, and he needs to demand to know why selective landings that turn away needed medical supplies is being conducted in a kind of skin color and economic genocide.Why is not the grounds of the Presidential Palace used to land helicopters with medical supplies? And where in the hell is Rene Preval, tied up in a basement and muffled, so that others can run the show according to their own plan? All the talk while people die is just rubber talk, and the pictures of machete wielding “mobs” could be taken from anywhere. Mr.President needs to see this in the light of the Jeremiah Wright snippet that was played over and over on every US TV station, in an attempt to defeat him which failed, but he also needs to see it in the light of his health reform programs, and the anti-propaganda against it, which seems to be succeeding.
Thus, a man made disaser, arising from a natural disaster, could tar and feather him.
Unlike many of the foreign based Haitians , I get a chance to converse with occasionally, I like Father Aristide very much. Even with all the accusation of him sleeping with the devil, eating more hearts of his enemies than the duo of Papa and Baby doc over the years, or that he might be to the left of Lenin, Mao , and Castro all rolled into one. I believe that democracy must be given a chance to flourish even with all it’s ugliness sometimes.
Take for example ,the case of our sole remaining global hegemonic power in good old Norte Americana . An unlikely leader who ran on the theme of change is now ruling the roost on Pennsylvania Avenue , and most would say is doing a commendable job , against overwhelming odds , and numerous inherited problems.
Nevertheless , his party just lost a crucial Senate seat , in a state that he won by 26% or more votes and held by his party for close to four decades or more, and the victor also emulated the President by using the change theme mantra , as well as a similar color Blackberry , and perhaps Facebook profile .
Now we know why nobody is lining up to live in Germany, Japan, China, Russia , or any of countless monolithic, insular Scandinavian countries that some intellectual misleaders like to pontificate/ gloat about in reference to their stewardship.
There might still be hope for Haiti, even as Caricom leaders were told by the Yankees not to come off the fact finding plane on their early visit.
But hey ,I saw where the Dutch are doing their godly duties and adopting a few hundred Haitian babies. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gk9PhPc1mP2g8ShH6txa96rZZ_TQ
This kind of reminds one of Madonna Malawi adoption experiences, Bono and Sir Bob Gildoff musical aid drives across Africa, George Cloony’s political focus on Sudan’s Black Arabs Janjaweed anti Bantu genocides.
Sometimes “beggars can’t be choosers,” as the wise one use to say to me back in the day.
I have said repeatedly on this site and others that the CIA and the US Military are more powerful than the President of the USA and was ridiculed by many for saying so, as they blindly support Obama.
Well, finally someone is understanding that no leader, not even those who look like us, should be supported blindly, I too, like TMan, has expressed this before, but was mashed up for it. People thaught that Obama was the end to all “black issues” you needed to hear the rubish that passed as support for Obama as he was on his was to becoming the “first black US President”. I supported the man on his outlined policies, his future plans, but did not do this blindly, fully understanding that the enshrined policies of the US cannot be magically changed by Obama or anyone else for that matter. Nad now we are hearing from Ms. Edwards that she has drunk the last drop of support from her cup. Well done Ms Edwards, congratulations and please understand that on this occassion, I don’t mean any negitivity am just saying that we MUST be mindful of our support, we can support but we MUST also recognise when this support has overstayed it’s welcome.
Let’s not go too far. Who is providing the most aid? There are logistical problems to delivering the food. Let us not forget that there was an earthquake and many roads are blocked. Aid needs to also be distributed to the weakest segment of society.
How do you do that when the strongest members of society are looking out for themselves? Someone has taken control and their first priority is to organize and then deliver aid equally.
I’m being optimistic for now. I would like the media to answer on question. Who gave the U.S. the authority to take charge of Haiti?
Come on guys , let’s try to put a bit of rationality into our thinking shall we? No one with a education beyond Standard 1 would fault you for having some level of doubts about the young President O as he attempted to put America back on some level of global respectability after the last catastrophic eight years by what seems to be President Dick Cheny aka Pork chops, along with the intellectually challenged side kicks G .W Bush , and other far right Neocon religious fruitcakes.
Mramps , Obama could not suddenly become the end all solution for all “black issues, ” for the same reason that Basdeo Panday and his UNC party machinery could never be the end all solution for all issues relating to Indo Trinidadian, even if many of his followers thought that he was a reincarnation of every Hindu god , the Prophet Mohamed , or your precious blue eyed Jesus .
That unfortunately is not the way that politics operate good friends.Remember it is a science like any other. The Obamas are now coming out of their one year political honeymoon period, and to think that a threatened bureaucratic CIA ,over inflated / overwhelmed Military Industrial Complex , over cuddled US business conglomerates , and other racially skewed domestic and international elite special interest power brokers , are suddenly going to disappear because a Harvard educated idealist and his wife so happen to be in charge.
“Black man got to keep on sweating, for black man to get a little something. People would hate you, humiliate you , turn round and hurt you… because ah done tell you already, black man don’t get nothing easy.”
Hail to one of my chief black Socrates prophets ,Sing Black Stalin .
Look, Im a registered Democrat, OK?I support him because all the programs that support the less wealthy in America, are Democrat programs. I gave Clinton two full years before I saw through some of his machinations. Let me list some of what the Democrats have done for Americans: Social Security: A woman I knew died last week at 100. She migrated here from Vietnam at 60, never worked, but got Social Security payments every month. Could someone that age in TnT, an immigrant from somewhere else, get that? Hospital bills are paid for all Americans aged 65, by the government. Your taxes are reduced on your property- one friend of mine had his reduced from $16,000 a year, to $5,000. If you are unemployed you get an allowance for up to eight months, and free counselling about job opportunities from the state. As a senior citizen, if contractors try to cheat you on home repairs, some states Senior Abuse law that makes the Attorney General your advocate. If I become unable to drive as a senior, a bus with a lift willcome to my door, and take me shopping, then bring me back. The attendant will get out of the bus, lower the ramp and push my wheelchair in, then move off. If I cannot fix my meals, meals-on-wheels- a charity that gets state money
will bring me food. I get a pension from the Fed. Govt based on my years of working here.My years of working in TnT was not worth much. I get another pension from the state for having taught here.That is good until I die- all done through the bankingsystem. Recently, I had to call an ambulance to my house. Three technicians came, did all that I needed, and left when I was better. There will be no bill for that either.
Now, that’s what the Democratic Party has done for Americans, including me. I support the choice of President. Had Clinton been the choice, I would have supportd her just as joyfully. Had McCain won, I probably would have migrated somewhere, because my pensions are portable, but the quality of life is not. When Hurricane Ike took off half my roof, the Federal Government sent people to put emergency tarpaulin on it to secure it until the insurance could restore it. I did not even have to leave home to make the request.
TO ASSUME THAT I OR ANYONE GAVE OR GIVES BLIND SUPPORT TO OBAMA IS TO BE BOTH PRESUMPTUOUS AND FOOLISH. I WORKED ON HIS CAMPAIGN BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE WAS AND IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR THE AMERICA THAT WE ARE.
I STILL THINK SO,BUT IN MY MEMOS TO HIM, I WILL CRITIQUE WHAT HE IS DOING. HE HAS HAD A YEAR IN TRAINING WHEELS. ALL NEW LEADERS DESERVE THIS. TO MAKE IT A ‘BLACK THING’ IS AGAIN, TO BE AS NARROW AS THE AVERAGE TRINI VOTING ON RACE LINES ONLY, FORTY EIGHT YEARS INTO INDEPENDENCE. I AM AN INTELLECTUALLY ASTUTE PERSON. EVERYONE I KNOW PERSONALLY KNOWS THAT. GET IT?so, again, please stop trying to write my script. You guys seem addicted to this nonsense.