Haiti’s hospitals are saturated after the earthquake as the number of victims already approaches 1,300 dead

Installed on benches, arranged on chairs or lying on the floor on sheets, the injured from the earthquake that hit southwestern Haiti on Saturday rush to the emergency room of Les Cayes hospital, who began receiving reinforcements on Sunday.

“At the time of the earthquake, we were only three doctors in the service”, From Doctor Michelet Paur.

“This morning is improving because we received orthopedists, surgeons and also 42 residents who are distributed in all the hospitals of the department”explains the emergency doctor.

Rudolphe Steven Jacques, a 26-year-old doctor, is one of the health professionals who have arrived from the capital, Port-au-Prince.

“The lack of material is chronic, it depends on arrivals. Look, this woman has been waiting for me to sew a suture for a while but I don’t have a tray for that right now. ” laments the young practitioner, showing a large wound on the leg of a patient sitting in a corner.

In the small rooms of this hospital, patients and doctors jostle.

“Many wounded are arriving again this morning, I was not expecting them: they are those who come from more remote areas. As you can see, the emergency service is very busy, but we are doing everything possible to serve the population “, assure the AFP Dr Jacques.

– “Overloaded” hospitals –

Immediately after the violent 7.2 magnitude earthquake, hospitals in the country’s third largest city were overwhelmed by the massive influx of wounded.

“When the earthquake hit, I was home. A vibration sent me flying through the air and landing on my arm. Neighbors came to help me find a taxi. I went through several hospitals, but they were overloaded ”, remembers Venel Senate, a fat four-year-old boy.

“This morning I came here and they finally treated me. They gave me a free x-ray and they put this cast on me, also freeHe said relieved, showing his right arm in a sling.

Living in Les Cayes, with his house completely destroyed, Venel Senate waits in the hospital courtyard for one of the drugs prescribed to him to be available at the establishment’s pharmacy, since pharmacies located in the city center remain closed. .

– Risk of torrential downpours –

Already treated but under observation, many wounded settled on the lawns around the buildings.

They are still afraid to return home, traumatized by the frequent aftershocks.

“People are afraid to go home, but tonight it’s going to rain”, explains Dr Paurus, moving quickly between the different departments.

“We will try to accommodate them in this room because the ceiling is made of pewter. For the children of the pediatric ward we will try to set up tents in the yard “he adds.

The population of Les Cayes now fears torrential downpours and strong winds that tropical storm Grace could bring, which should affect the area in the coming hours.

“If it rains as much as expected, we really don’t know what we’re going to do.”, deplores Dr Paurus.

(With information from AFP)

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