UNMC continues earthquake relief efforts in Haiti

Two events this week highlight UNMC’s continued efforts to help Haiti recover from the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Four health care professionals, three nurses and a psychiatrist, will deploy to Port-Au-Prince today as part of a series of three deployments UNMC volunteers will make to Haiti in the next few weeks.

Nurse Nick Hall with the triplets he helped deliver during UNMC’s first deployment to Haiti. UNMC sends its third deployment of volunteers into the earthquake-ravaged nation today. (Jennifer Browning, Project Medishare)

Also, Ayman El-Mohandes, M.B.B.Ch., M.D., M.P.H., dean of the College of Public Health; and Terry Huang, Ph.D., professor and chairman of the college’s department of health promotion, social and behavioral health; will head to Port-Au-Prince this weekend for a meeting about how Haiti can rebuild its health care infrastructure and education system.

“Haiti and the needs of its people are still firmly planted in our consciousness,” said Dr. El-Mohandes, who along with Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs, leads UNMC’s Haitian relief efforts. “There is much work to be done to help the country recover and we at UNMC want to use our various resources to help Haiti along the path toward renewal.”

Volunteers needed Health care professionals with the following expertise are still needed for the next two deployments: Dentistry; OB/GYN; Pediatrics; and Physical therapy. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to haitirelief@unmc.edu.

In this most recent wave of deployments — which will last about a week each — UNMC will send small groups of strategically selected health care professionals to provide care at Port-Au-Prince General Hospital.

The deployments will overlap, which will allow outgoing volunteers to help transition the incoming groups.

UNMC has previously sent two deployments to Haiti, the first in the initial days after the earthquake, and the second about three weeks later.

At the meeting in Port-Au-Prince, Drs. El-Mohandes and Huang will join others from the U.S. and Haiti as they evaluate the situation on the ground in terms of health care education and infrastructure.

The earthquake killed hundreds of health care students and leveled many of the facilities used to train these students.

The group will discuss possible solutions that will help facilitate better patient care and instruction of health professions students.