Things are moving forward

The Tuberculosis testing and treatment program is off the ground. Within the next week or two, I hope to have all of the children who test positive receiving INH treatment. Dr. Cynthia, a nephrologist from Maine and the Medical Director of the clinic along with Dr. Jerry, a pediatrician from Alaska helped me to plan out and execute the first part of the TB program during their 8-day visit from the states. I’ve been spending a few hours each morning giving out PPDs to test for TB, reading results and listening to the chests of every child/adult that tests positive. If the patient is breathing clearly and has no complaint of coughing, I move them on to INH prophylactic treatment to help prevent them from developing active TB later on down the road. If their exam doesn’t come back clear, then that’s my cue to send off for a chest x-ray and move carefully from there.

The medical group that came along with Dr. Cynthia and Dr. Jerry included two other nurses, Hervè and Claudette who helped to distribute tetanus shots and oraquick tests (oral HIV/AIDS testing) and Dr. Drew, a dermatologist from Virginia. Everyone from this group except for Dr. Jerry was a part of the first medical team that I participated in on my first visit to Haiti in January. It was great to see everyone again. Dr Drew let me assist on a big cyst removal and gave me several pointers on how to better my suturing and helped teach me to identify and treat several of the skin problems that come into the clinic on a daily basis.

While Dr. Cynthia was here, I went over the new design for the public health clinic that I put together with her. She liked my ideas and gave me the ok to push forward and get going on fundraising and development. The kitchen hygiene and sanitation project that I initiated a few weeks back is now at phase II until I can secure the remaining funds to begin constructing the new building.