Over the past 5 years we have partnered with an existing mission in the Northwest portion of Haiti to provide badly needed surgical services to the local community. St. Louis du Nord is in the poorest area of Northwest Haiti and medical care is very limit to non existent. During our week in 2018 we were able to perform 108 surgical procedures ranging from hysterectomies, hernias, hydroceles tubal ligations, vasectomies, circumcisions, lipoma removals, exploratory laparotomies, appendectomies, and other smaller procedures. We brought over 70 suitcases of supplies to allow our mission to function. Without these surgeries several of our patients would have died. We were able to provide life altering care to many and life saving surgeries to a few! We assisted with the on site birthing center providing supplies and a new ultrasound machine. Our ultrasound techs worked closely with the local US techs to instruct them on procedures and technique. Our members assisted in a special needs orphanage, and elders home, and a nutrition clinic. We have raised funds to provide structural repairs and equipment acquisition. During our trip we offer education for the student nurses, the attending Haitian physician, the pharmacist, and the nutrition clinic. This is an annual trip for our team of 50 healthcare providers.
The community of St. Louis du Nord, Haiti and the surrounding communities benefit from our mission. Several people come from miles away traveling for hours on foot to see the team and possible receive surgery. Patients range from new born infants to the elderly. Men, women, and children. This past year a patient was brought to us from the local prison with a surgical abdomen and he was taken directly to surgery. He was found to have "Abdominal TB". Our team purchased the 6 month medication regime for him and he is recovering nicely. This community is poor and has very limited resources. We serve here to assist this proud group of people. Without access through our mission they would need to travel 8 hours to Port au Prince and pay for their travel and care. Who will benifit? Our patients benifit, but ultimately we all benifit. I know we all return changed and better for our experience.
Our mission is to provide care and to improve the local situation. Through our efforts to supply the local facility with medications, supplies, and equipment. We offer training to the the Haitian nurses, doctors, and staff. It is our hope to show the love of God to these people in that they know they are important to others and that there are people that are willing to assit them and to love them. Following our return we maintain contact with the staff to assist with medical care via Telemedicine and consultations.
World Health Partnerships 2019 Mission to St. Louis du Nord, Haiti, is in the books! This was our annual mission to a community of over 100,000 that is otherwise without surgical care. Northwest Haiti is the poorest region of Haiti, which is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Our patient population is diverse in age and pathology. We were able to perform 95 surgeries in our week including a bowel resection, hysterectomies, hernia and hydroceles, breast surgery, vasectomy and circumcisions, and many more procedures. We provided two mobile clinics seeing over 100 patients for general medical and gynecologic care. Our ultrasound tech performed over 100 studies to aid in our care. In addition we were able to come along side the community to offer our spiritual support and fellowship! This proud community is in political turmoil and is struggling to obtain fuel, food, and clean water. Our mission provided one week of caring and support. Without the support of organizations like the Dox Foundation our mission would not be successful. Thank you for you interest in our work and we look forward to future cooperative efforts.
Bless you all,
Drs. Daniel and Melissa Richardson
World Health Partnerships
