Medical Team Spends Day at Grace Children’s Hospital

U.S. Board Member Dr. Jeannine Hatt led this medical trip to Haiti November 7-14; here she shares her experience with visiting ICC's flagship facility, Grace Children's Hospital in Port-au-Prince. If you have questions about this trip, or would like to travel to Haiti yourself, please contact the ICC offices at iccusa@internationalchildcare.org or by calling 800-722-4453!

A group of 13 US physicians, students and other healthcare professionals spent a day of educational exchange at GCH on November 10 in an effort to establish some ongoing medical collaborations. The team represented physicians from Stanford, UTSouthwestern Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and International Child Care USA board of director’s medical resources area.

The day was spent in bedside consultations in GCH’s in-patient unit, working side by side with the Haitian physicians in several of the out-patient clinics and a conference with lecture exchanges. GCH’s staff gave presentations on malnutrition and tuberculosis and US physicians presented on neonatal resuscitation, management of shock, and provided materials on kangaroo mother care, ultrasonography and eletrocardiology.  An electrocardiograph and ultrasound equipment as well as other medical supply donations were made.

The US team visited several schools in Cite Soleil where ICC has partnered with Rotary International and Pure Water for the World to provide clean water through the placement of  biosand filters. They were greeted by thankful school personnel and curious children in what is considered by many Haiti’s largest public health challenged slum.

Valuable time was built into the week meeting with the leadership of ICC Haiti to discuss how this initial collaboration could sustain and grow. Everyone on the team is ready to return and continue work in improving the health of the children of Haiti.