E-mail from Paul Farmer

{UNEDITED} Email/SMS Forwarding an e-mail that one of our team just received from Paul Farmer:  Dear Joia:

Tried to get more information on referrals to US military surgical capacity in Haiti, or just off-shore or on the island in the DR. Am assuming these are surgical referrals (but our phones are not working in Port au Prince so don't have info). Some info:

1.) The USS Carl Vinson has 30 beds but only a general surgeon; no neurosurgeon. You will hear that it is their mission to treat US citizens only but they have already operated on non-US citizens. Sanjay Gupta did a procedure there this morning on a child. I have the names of the medical officer (Dr. Lee Harvis, with whom I spoke at length; cell xxx-xxx-xxxx) and the commanding officer (Capt. John Kirby xxx-xxx-xxxx) and their e-mails too. The USS Comfort is coming in on Thursday and will have a lot more capacity by report.


2.) Dr. Harvis suggested we refer patients to Jimani, and so I called Ruth Berggren who is there. She's copied above. They have no neurosurgeon and perhaps a dozen patients who need to be medevac'ed for this reason. They have a good ortho and general surgery capacity, which we hope to have in-country soon - in Port au Prince at least.



3.) Joia - do we have a sit rep on Leogane? Is Sainte Croix running at all?

4.) Dr. John Ragheb, pediatric neurosurgeon from Miami Childrens', is by report in Port au Prince displaced from a hospital (Laurie, which one???) by insecurity. John has done many cases in cange and is great so it would be good to find him and to find out if he is really in Port au Prince. Has nurses and supplies. NURSES AND SUPPLIES a prerequisite!!!

5.) As for airlifting off of the island when proximity is important, Puerto Rico is working in Jimani, we hear. And Guadeloupe and other French territories will require working with French authorities in Haiti .

6.) UM is closest, and Barth Green has been great in organizing transfers, I hear.

7.) PIH is trying to organize other transfers. I know we all agree that fixing referral centers in Haiti will simplify this logistics nightmare, so we will all continue our two-pronged approach-- strengthen local capacity even as we refer. Thanks to all of you rescuers!

Paul