Virginian-Pilot Examines Health Care in Haiti
The Virginian-Pilot examines the quality of Haiti's health infrastructure and the lead up to a global health conference at Norfolk State University, which is sponsored by Physicians for Peace. The article describes a 40-bed health facility in Haiti built in the 1940s that serves a population of 70,000 people. Ralph Ternier, a physician at the facility, said, "We want to give good health care, not only basic care, but the best thing. We are trying to push the limits."
Edward Lilly, a gastroenterologist and Physicians for Peace board member, said access to clean water is "the first rule" to improve health. "If you have water and you have transportation, you can do all the other things," he said. The article describes a project in Baptiste, Haiti, in which a Virginia civil engineer worked with a Haitian church to design a water pipeline that is now under construction. "The Baptiste project shows how closely global health issues are interconnected. It's not just about vaccinations and setting broken bones it's about schools and roads and jobs, too," the Virginian-Pilot writes.
According to the Virginian-Pilot, there is a "severe blood shortage" in Haiti, which is dangerous because of the prevalence of severe anemia resulting from malnutrition, malaria and other causes. In addition, the Virginian-Pilot writes, "Coordinating health care is a particular challenge in poor countries where services are often fragmented or scattered."
"We have to try to lessen all the inequalities," Ternier said in advance of the conference, where he will speak Friday. "It's the same thing as why this child has a tumor and has 10 doctors, why another one who is poor cannot have the same thing? It's always the same question" (Young, Virginian-Pilot, 5/13).
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