Bizz-Buzz Blog #2: Lack of Medical Supplies in Haiti

Haitians Dying in Hospital From Lack of Supplies

As most probably know, a massive earthquake hit Port Au-Prince, Haiti earlier this year.  Although the destruction of homes and businesses is commonly acknowledged, what about the infrastructure and hospitals also affected by this natural disaster?  it's easy to see that someone's home might be destroyed, but what about the hospitals and clinics that people depend on when they need them the most?

In this Huffington Post Article, it describes the story of one victim of the earthquake and how a lack of access to medical supplies ultimately led to his death.  He was extracted from the rubble of a building after being there for four days and was taken to the only functioning Hospital in Port Au-Prince, the U.N. Hospital.  All others were either too damaged or did not have the proper supplies to function.  Basically, a gangrenous infection was spreading through this mans body and his prognosis was not good.  A doctor involved in the care of this patient said, "He's dying right now in front of our eyes...we don't have the basic equipment that would save him...In any normal hospital he'd survive" (Huffington Post).  The article goes on to explain the various measures taken to try and save his life but ultimately, the young man dies.


Imagine going to the hospital in Corvallis and being told that you would be fine, except that they don't have the necessary supplies to do so.  Of course, the situation in haiti is not normal and they are under immense strain right now.  However, it's not only in times of emergency that people lack access to basic supplies such as clean needles, latex gloves, clean surgical gowns, etc.  The situation in Port-Au Prince is just one example of many places in the world that do not have the funds, or the means, to obtain safe and sterile medical equipment.


Certain areas in medicine, like surgery, require tons of disposable equipment in order to be done safely and effectively, if even at all.  Gloves, masks, gowns, hair covers, surgical drapes, etc. are some of the necessary disposables.  Tools such as staples, scalpels, clamps, etc. can be sterilized and reused but this is a costly process.


When it comes down to it, it seems to be that money is the main issue.  Countries like Nepal, for example, have no healthcare system in place and any care you receive you must pay for out-of-pocket.  I was applying for internships over there and many places were asking that I go to local hospitals, over here, and petition for medical supplies such as intubation kits and other expensive supplies in order to bring them to them.


Although the issue seems to be more of a structural problem, Doctors Without Borders is addressing the issue by not only going into countries needing medical care, but also supplying medical equipment to clinics and towns in dire need.

The above video talks about the lack of basic supplies in Iraqi hospitals.  The situation is not just in disaster-affected areas.

Bizz-Buzz Blog #1: Denial of Access to Healthcare in Bahrain

Main Public Hospital Is Drawn Into Bahrain Strife

Doctors Without Borders Response to the Situation

Growing up in America with well-to-do parents, yearly check-ups and emergency room visits were never questioned.  Access to quick and effective healthcare was seen as a normal thing.  However, this view of healthcare is not the same as other parts of the world.  In many countries, access to family practitioners and basic healthcare is too costly to afford, or not available at all.  In most instances, this is influenced by poverty, or conflict within the region.  Doctors Without Borders however, attempts to address these international healthcare issues.

Although not directly talking about Doctors Without Borders, a New York Times article describes a hospital in Bahrain (a small island in the Persian Gulf) which has been held from treating patients.  Although I won't attempt to explain the situation in Bahrain, it is basically in the midst of an uprising that the government is trying to squash.  In the midst of this "civil war," soldiers are apparently blockading Bahrain's main hospital.  Basically, they are denying people access to medical attention because they are protestors.

Although Doctors Without Borders goes into countries that direly need medical assistance, what can they do in Bahrain?  They have a dependable healthcare system, but the government is purposefully denying it.  In their response to the situation in Bahrain, Doctors Without Borders outlines what has been going on and also explain what they are doing to bring the situation to an end.

Although most Americans expect easy access to care, Bahrain is just one of hundreds of examples where access is limited, if not possible at all.  A quick perusal of the doctors Without Borders website shows that they are involved in hundreds of projects across the world, trying to increase access to proper care.  It is sad to think that people are denied the basic right to care, like in Bahrain.  However, organizations like Doctors Without Borders attempt to fill the gaps of need, providing services and care which are not normally possible.  Although not a permanent solution, this non-profit is a step towards the right direction in providing the oppressed with healthcare that most first-world people take for granted.

Doctors Without Borders: Introduction

Doctors Without Borders (Link)

Doctors Without Borders, "provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition,exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need. MSF reserves the right to speak out to bring attention to neglected crises, to challenge inadequacies or abuse of the aid system, and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols" (Taken from their website).