Of the fifteen health institutions contacted by Le Nouvelliste on May 6 and 7, twelve are not involved in any way in the care of patients infected with the virus.
There are only 3 hospitals in the eye of the storm nearly two months after the first cases of Covid-19 were identified in the country. These are St-Luc hospital, Saint-Damien hospital and a newborn who is one of the structures of the DASH (Development of Health Activities in Haiti) network. The initiative comes from themselves. With their own means, they set up care centers.
With a capacity of 40 beds, the acute respiratory infections unit, including the Covid-19 at St-Luc hospital, was one of the first health facilities in the country to welcome infected people. A team of 40 healthcare professionals stays at the bedside. They do their best to care for and save the lives of patients. According to Dr. Marc Edson Augustin, medical director of the St-Luc Foundation, from the treatment of the sick to the equipment of the staff, everything was the responsibility of the hospital. While cases are increasing, St-Luc officials are alone facing the Coronavirus apart from a few donations received from certain individuals and private institutions. “There is a major concern for materials and equipment as the cases increase. We have a sustained need for oxygen, ”saidDr. Augustin on Monday, May 11. The hospital has not yet received any donation from the government.
In the same vein, the only pediatric hospital in the country, Saint-Damien Hospital, has not been asked to build an intensive care unit capable of accommodating children with the new coronavirus. It consists of ten beds. According to Dr Magareth Narcisse, member of the medical directorate, all the arrangements have been made to take care not only of the infected children, but also to operate the other services. The clinic and hospitalization for acute respiratory infections is separate from other clinical and hospital services. Among the first cases received, a death was registered on May 10. Continue reading.