Might be going to Haiti...

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97tbird

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Wifey, me and 3 other pharmacy students (who're all from my class about to graduate in May) might be going to volunteer with disaster help (medical/pharmaceutical/health care...) in Haiti for a week - probably 1st week of May.

Wife, who's a pharmacist already, will be the sort of the "leader" of this tiny pharmacist/pharmacy student group...it's organized by the univ of Miami.

Excited and a bit scared at the same time...
any feedback/wisdom/advice is welcome.
 
Take it as a learning experience, or a life experience. Your doing good will and will feel better for it. Apprehension is usual when your going somewhere you don't know and are unsure of in terms of security but their citizens need more people like you.

I applaud you and your wife's efforts in this matter!
 
Security wise just do not go wondering around, spent around 3 weeks just right after.. and will go back again May-June. What are you allowed to bring in? Keep a journal documenting it all.
 
pharmacists help the doc's-in clinical dosing, IV implementation and in a lot of other departments.
Pharmacists are very clinically oriented these days, and all of us have a hospital pharmacy background, and not retail.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Is the US military still there ?


Most of the military have been pulled out. I believe most if not all ships have returned to port. I cannot speak for the army units.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Is the US military still there ?


yep, and in pretty strong numbers- the "camp"/hospital is right at the air port.

i still don't know a lot of details. will update.

thanks guys
 
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
pharmacists help the doc's-in clinical dosing, IV implementation and in a lot of other departments.
Pharmacists are very clinically oriented these days, and all of us have a hospital pharmacy background, and not retail.

Very cool. If you go, I hope you will be able to help.
 
Very noble thing to do, 97tbird! Go for it! I'm sure it'll be a great learning experience (at many levels) and you will feel proud of yourself afterward for doing it. Heck, I am proud of you already! :)
 
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Is the US military still there ?


yep, and in pretty strong numbers- the "camp"/hospital is right at the air port.

i still don't know a lot of details. will update.

thanks guys


That would be the army then. I know they where running the airport, I don't believe that part has changed. I/we where providing supplies just after the earthquake along with everyone else under the sun.
 
97tbird, not many people put themselves out there like that.

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don't drink water you don't know where it is from and have not sanitised.

do not eat anything you have not killed all the germs in. fruit, raw veg etc, only eat what you can peel easily (like bananas)

is there malaria there? you'd wanna think about preventing it.
 
i took malaria prophylaxis in mozambique. i went crazy for a bit so decided to rather take the chance. i won the gamble.
 
I was going to go to produce fresh water for distribution. Security was a major issue, and the effort was scrapped.

Be careful, ensure you have all your shots, and bring plenty of supplies for yourself. Id recommend a rechargable flashlight, some tools, knife, lots of mosquito netting, long shirts and pants (ex officio is good for the tropics), sunscreen, water storage for yourself.
 
Don't laugh, but security is going to lax and your an outsider with a valuable commodity....if you aren't "packing", then pack. See if you can bring a 9mm or somehow hide in your gear. I'll probably get flamed for this, but I've been to a bunch of these kind of things and let me tell you, you are in for a surprise. Expect NOTHING to work and be prepared for the worse.
 
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
Don't laugh, but security is going to lax and your an outsider with a valuable commodity....if you aren't "packing", then pack. See if you can bring a 9mm or somehow hide in your gear. I'll probably get flamed for this, but I've been to a bunch of these kind of things and let me tell you, you are in for a surprise. Expect NOTHING to work and be prepared for the worse.


This is crazy advice and should not be followed. Obviously, Schmoe has never traveled abroad.
 
Originally Posted By: crinkles
don't drink water you don't know where it is from and have not sanitised.

do not eat anything you have not killed all the germs in. fruit, raw veg etc, only eat what you can peel easily (like bananas)

is there malaria there? you'd wanna think about preventing it.


This is good advice - we simply are not used to foreign environments where it is less sanitized than what we have here.

I was going to volunteer for Haiti as well through my employer - a large Catholic health care provider. But they were looking for clinical staff and I am an in the administration.
 
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