Dominican Blog 6 - Linda Knight

Dominican Republic Update Feb 1 2019

Clinic Day 4  Quantiano Bario

Today we are set up in a public hospital but it is very different from Canada. There were no patients staying there but if they did- they would need to bring their own meds, their own meals, their own sheets, their own dressing supplies (which they have to buy) or ripped bedsheets.

On the way to the hospital, we drove through a Batay – which is a village with concrete bunkers and tin roofs- about 8x8 or 10x10. These buildings were built for Haitians who used to work in the sugar cane fields.  When the sugar cane industry collapsed in the 1990’s  – the workers stayed but they have no citizenship – which means no right to healthcare, education, can’t own land and are at constant risk of being deported.  There is a bit of sugar produced today but it is for the rum industry.

The site was a bit more difficult to manage as there was not a logical flow but Lori and the HHart team set up a registration and nurses/MD and Pharmacy. Reading glasses are only for those over 40 and only those who ask as our supply is dwindling.

Pharmacy is set up in a lean to where an old generator is located. Joe is a trooper and just keeps going despite all the challenges.

We saw over 150 patients not counting the patients that had home visits. Our nurses were at home just going into the community to do home visits….and it was the first time we had done this – but something we will add to our service.

The clinic was busy with skin conditions and many motorcycle accidents injuries. People do not have to wear helmets here and there were multiple fractures, pins, plates. One fellow showed up with a badly broken arm from a motorcycle accident and the pins and plate had become infected – needing IV antibiotics.
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It was a good day but chaotic…the team knew what they had to do.