Sunday, January 31, 2010

EMERGENCY SITUATION : MEDIFLIGHTS Transporting Critical Haitian Patients to the US have been Suspended for Questionable Reasons


MediVacFLights have been suspended from Haiti Since Wednesday, this was not made public until Late Friday Night.And the Whitehouse Spokesperson and the Governor of Florida are giving very different accounts of the situation. More Importantly this situation needs to be resolved ASAP.Lives are at stake.
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Update Sunday 1.31.10 Partners in Health.org LongStanding Organized respected Health Organization in Haiti arranged transport of three critically ill children out of Haiti. They have been in Haiti with Dr.Farmer for many years, and understand HOW to get things Done. Please do support their work and Doctors Without Borders.This situation will still need Public OutCry. DO call the White House 202-456-1414 on Monday. Please do read this CBS News Article about How the Doctors with Partners in Health did get the Children flown out for medical care.
Partners in Health has also launched a new website exclusively focused on their Haiti Work, it is called Stand With Haiti.org
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(1) If People Live in Florida- Please have them Call MEDIA and Write and Call Gov.Christ's Office and Complain, that they do not support his Decision or Actions. The FINAL Decision should be made as a JOINT Decision between USaid Office (DC) and UN and The Military ( esp. as they are in charge of ground control- it sounds as if they were not consulted or the USSComfort or the Navy, please note that ALL the press releases do not mention the Military's Response).

Please do read this BBC article as to how the US Halt on Medial Transports will cause Patients to die....But raises More questions about WHO made this decision.It implies it was a Whitehouse Decision, yet most articles here in the States are saying it was a decision instigated by the State of Florida.

Also Please do read Mirela's Post about this troubling issue that threatens to harm more lives and add to the misery of the Haitians. ( Mirela is on Twitter and is an amazing source for information and news, @mirelamonte )

{{*** This article explains the UN's role in Emergency Care of Disaster Refugees, And it is worth the read. .It raises some questions regarding a Governor inserting himself into an International Humanitarian Crisis.)

It is NOT appropriate that Gov.Christ is refusing for his state, when NO statement has been made by USAID or issued by the key DC Coordinators. It makes ALL of the US look bad- by tomorrow when this reaches Foriegn Press that Patients were turned away due to "Homeland Security Concerns/FEMA" or "Cost"-it will Shame the US, and all of the fine work being done by thousands of Americans. ( THIS is a Diplomatic Nightmare, and people in other countries DO KNOW the Word "FEMA" and do remember Katrina).

*** Please See in the articles of 2nd email that there are Hospitals in Florida who are STILL willing to recieve and care for Critical Patients, especially Pediatric,Burn,Neuro and Trauma. These patients need more care than the Comfort can provide for extended time.Please do read this article regarding Hospitals in Florida still wishing to accept Patients from Haiti, it has more details of the situation in Florida.

(2) DO Write the USSAID offices in DC, and our President and demand that these Patients as Guaranteed by the Policies of the UN, providing Emergency Medical Care for Disaster Refugees be still allowed to come to the United States. That We as Americans want them to receive the BEST Humanitarian Medical Care possible.
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USAID Contacts:::
MAIN Haiti Director for USAID : Raj Shah
{{ Please address letter to him,also DO CC: Dr.Ron Waldman-Medical Director of USAID :International Medical Aid,Anne Veneman,UNICEF Director for Children,Katherine Bragg,(OCHA ) Director of Humanitarian Affairs,Dr.Margaret Chan of W.H.O ( World Health Organization) as they are working with him to address this International Humanitarian Crisis.}}
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MORE USAID ADDRESS INFORMATION:
Please call one of our agency telephone information specialists at (202) 712-4810. The number to fax us your question is (202) 216-3524. The agency's main telephone number is 202-712-0000.

General inquiries via postal mail that are not directed to a specific person:
Information Center
U.S. Agency for International Development
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C. 20523-1000
To contact an employee, see the information below.
PRESS INQUIRIES
If you are a member of the press, you may contact our press relations office at:

U.S. Agency for International Development
Office of Press Relations
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C. 20523-0016
Telephone: 202-712-432
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UN Contacts:
801 2nd Avenue Suite 600
New York, New York 10017
Tel: 212.370.4840
Fax: 212.661.8698
email: haiti@un.int
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(3)Do contact ONE large Hospital in your state, Ask to speak to the Admissions Director or the PR Rep. Explain calmly and politely what is needed, Beds for Critical patients from Haiti that are suffering from Burns, Ortho injuries, Neuro Injuries or Trauma. That we hope Each and every state will step up to assist this Massive Emergency Health Disaster. If your state has a Separate PEDS hospital do call them as well.

(4) DO call Media after you have called your State's Governors Office and Hospitals.( Especially if they are responding in an affirmative Humane Caring way)

(5) If you live in a Community or City with large Haitian population please do make contacts,Boston, Montreal and Miami,New York (Brooklyn) are some of the cities that the Haitian Community will want to know their relatives are possibly being turned away or will not get much needed medical care. They would want to know that their Communities would be there to welcome Injured Haitians.
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Other Articles on the Situation
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Article in Relief Web crossposted from Alternet and Reuters.
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New York Times takes another slant on the situation siting "Space" as as the reason for the Change in policy.

19 comments:

enigma4ever said...

For Twitter:::

RT @zyOzyfounder: rt: @bbcnews US halts #Haiti victim evacuations in 'medical bill row' http://is.gd/7mT4r "shameful"
about 2 hours ago from web


RT @zyOzyfounder: rt @bbcnews US halts #Haiti victim evacuations in medical bill row http://is.gd/7mT4r @care @citizenEffect @haitiPartn ...

MyrtleBeachConnection said...

So many people are outraged by this callous response from a nation full of generous donors. This Humanitarian bottleneck does not represent America.

On the other hand, perhaps this will attract the World's attention to the Average American's plight for a more Humanitarian Health Care System...

enigma4ever said...

Myrtlebeach,
everything you said is true...sadly

enigma4ever said...

On Twitter there is no statement issued by NavyNews,Southcom or the USSComfort, or USAID.

the walking man said...

Crist though an idiot at best though does have logistical concerns (aging population, snowbirds, Pro Bowl and Super Bowl attendees who also may need medical aid during this time) and was quoted in one AP article as saying "we will work the costs out later"

So before you fly into a frenzy do not go on the offensive with FL but rather suggest that as many as possible be sent to other gulf coast states for triage and then disbursement to other states in the mid west for needed treatments.

There are many other military airports besides Homestead, Miami and Orlando along the gulf coast that could be flown into and out of.

Now is not the time to defame or blame anyone, regardless of motives but rather to just get the job done. it matters little where these people in need go for treatment as long as they get it soon enough and competently.

libhom said...

Thank you for keeping a focus on Haiti, countering our national AHDD.

Fran said...

The State of Florida does have the right to ask How are we going to pay for this (as they are probably going to get the most severe medical cases), but they can have that conversation while saving lives.

enigma4ever said...

Thank you all for reading this and caring....it matters...


Fran::
Cost issue is not an issue- the US and UN will pay for the Refugee Medical Bills-it is not Florida's decision -and should have NEVER been raised during an International Humanitarian Crisis- HUGE diplomatic Mess.

(it is like asking ER patients where their Insurance Cards are while they bleed on the floor-its not appropriate part of care...)

But mostly the WH even muddled it further-Gibbs did. we need to get DC to fix this NOW.

I have faith that Obama will fix this rapidly...

Libhom..
Thanks-this is the biggest Medical Castastrophe and Disaster in our lifetime...we can not turn away -millions of our neighbors need us...

WalkingMan::
there are time one need to call DC...Gibbs and Christ have created this mess...but Other states could take patients--that might help ...USAID offices never issued a Statement -and they are in charge of coordinating care...

The World remembers Katrina and how people were treated-so it is an important issue that must be remedied rapidly.

enigma4ever said...

RT @southcomwatch
JTF-Haiti is now on Twitter and tweeting daily! http://twitter.com/JTFHaiti

enigma4ever said...

RT @JosetteSheeran: #Haiti food rollout: WFP giving coupons only to women for family..try to ensure they and children can eat
5 minutes ago from UberTwitter

Retweeted by you and 1 other

RT @SPIEGEL_English: SPIEGEL Interview with Hamid Karzai: 'There Has To Be Peace Now'... - http://tinyurl.com/yf87pru
6 minutes ago from UberTwitter

RT @USNSComfort: Surrounded by tragedy, sometimes our greatest inspiration comes from our patients... http://bit.ly/9mqU2Y.
11 minutes ago from UberTwitter

Retweeted by you and 6 others
RT @stevebruskCNN: White House says medical evacuations from #haiti on track resume in next 12 hours after capacity issues resolved

enigma4ever said...

Haitifeed
Haiti, for the long run – MiamiHerald.com http://bit.ly/ak9TAp #haiti

enigma4ever said...

New Hospital and Clinic Maps for Port au Prince http://is.gd/7qVfS

(@leecohen )

Celia Harrison said...

We know the federal portion of medicaid is almost 60% for adults and nearly 70% for children. The state of Florida is trying to make it seem like they are footing the whole bill. Any foreign nationals who come to our border and request medical aid are supposed to get it by law. It is paid for with medicaid. USAID is the lead agency in Haiti and have been silent on this issue. This is really weird. Was there really a security issue they were covering up? I am very ashamed of my country right now. This has been the biggest cluster I have ever seen. We should have sent food, water, medical supplies, doctors, and hoardes of nurses. Instead they sent the military. Sure medical staff would have needed some security, but not much. This is sickening.

enigma4ever said...

Celia..
Sadly I think Christ handled this wrong...on so many levels- his state has taken close to 800 patients, considering this massive quake, and the amount of severe injuries, and Haiti's broken infrastructure, and crippled medical system.....it is a relatively small number. It also sounds that the Comfort is taking Critical Patients ,but it is unclear why Christ thought the Florida Medical System was so to be so burdened , strained ?

I worry it was politically motivated,sadly he has caused another Diplomatic Shame....( very much like Katrina)....and his sense of timing was also concerning while people were still being pulled from rubble and amputations,gangrene and tetanus have entered the Medical Landscape....

But I am grateful that Partners In Health and the Whitehouse have remedied this horrible Debacle...

I am worried about WHO we present ourselves as -
the NGOs are doing amazing work, but I hope the soldiers /military that are there are seen as Helping and caring and working to bring aid and comfort....
Just like we would view the National Guard after a Disaster...

thank you for caring and understanding what a mess this was...as of tonight-5pm Sunday-
the WH has stepped in and the matter will be resolved....

( BUT as a Nurse I am still writing letters....because we can never do this again..we must be strong and willing to fully commit to help-not a partial situation.People in such a crisis need Unconditional Compassion and aid)

Nitrile Gloves said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
D.K. Raed said...

I fear you're right about Crist's political motivation (that because he was seen on the same podium as obama and supporting The Stim, he is in trouble trying to run for senate unless he vilifies anything obama and/or the current admin tries to do).

We need to face facts about supposedly "generous" americans. Some are and some aren't, and sadly, the ones who aren't have the backing of some pretty powerful pursestrings. All this while there is an immediate need with people dying trying to stay alive.

enigma4ever said...

And I got HATE /Hateful mail for posting about the MediVac Crisis ( and I am a pro after monthes of HCR hatemail ):

Here is the Favorite of the Day:

Who the hell are you to think its okay for the state of Florida to foot the bill and house all these Haitian refugees? You don't even live here. What if they were all coming to your state? WE are hard hit by the recession. Our unemployment is 12%, we do not need more mouths to feed. I am a liberal democrat and I don't want them here. America has to tackle its own issues. Taking in refugees is not part of the plan.

SENT TO EMAIL WITH NO NAME OF COURSE

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To the Selfish Pathetic person who sent this to me claiming to be a Liberal Democrat I have something to say to you PUBLICLY because your "letter' shows a certain degree of Absolute Ignorance, and you lack FACTS and Compassion:

(1) If you had read below below ALL the way through you would have seen that you are wrong in message. The Haiti EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS are injured from the WORST Catastrophe in our History.
250,000 Dead(atleast) and >2million homeless,>100,000 injured. ( florida is providing care for >700, and other states are also starting to provide medical care).

They are Natural Disaster Medical Refugees Covered by International Laws to recieve Medical Care- NO ONE said they are moving here. They will not effect the job situation, they are CRITICALLY INJURED. MANY are Children and babies, they too need care, are not coming here for jobs.

(( After the Tsunami in Asia Many foriegners recieved care in Hospitals there- NO ONE was refused and Payment/Cost was never discussed-
it was a matter of Compassion and International Diplomacy.UN will and does find funds to make sure the Medical Bills are paid, but the matter is usually handled with decorum,manners, good grace in Face of Suffering).

And just to remind you, the whole Country is suffering in this recession, not just your state. But all of the country has been reaching out with Compassion to those injured in this Massive Earthquake.

enigma4ever said...

D-
thank you for your thoughtful response...you are right about the situation.,..it 's complicated, nuanced...
and fragile...

thanks for having insight and compassion...it matters...

enigma4ever said...

RT @PIH_org: thanks to partner @solarfund. Solar playing an important role in @pih_org's #Haiti response. Read more http://bit.ly/cwtk28 #fb