#97: Injections in Haiti and AIDS: several related replies

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Nlbo@aol.com

Dear Corbetland,
Can a doctor, a nurse , or someone in the medical field help me figure out 
why injections (piki as we say in Creole) are administered so frequently in 
Haiti? The only time I or my children get injected here in the U.S is to get 
immunized.
It seems that in Haiti, every medicine comes in form of injections.
My mother was a nurse in Haiti. I remember  she is used to give me those 
injections with those big needles for no reason. I don't think I was even 
sick then. Why is that?
Many Haitians  in the U.S even lament that doctors here  are not as competent 
as those in Haiti because when you go to them they don't prescribe you any 
medicine or even give you a "piki". (injection)
Can someone please  comment on that phenomenon?
Nekita

==========================

From: cjstockdale@juno.com

It could be a fall back to frequent trips to vaccinate in Haiti, by
mission doctors and nurses, and it could also be a fall back to the early
injection of antibiotics that seemed like miracle drugs, because they
worked so quickly on bacterial illnesses.  Americans (in my experience as
an American nurse) DO NOT want injections, so the market would (and has)
provided mostly oral medications.  Maybe the needle has a majical quality
in   Haiti?

Deb Stockdale

================================

From: ForHaiti@aol.com

In a message dated 7/3/99 10:26:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
bcorbett@netcom.com writes:

<< Many Haitians  in the U.S even lament that doctors here  are not as 
competent 
 as those in Haiti because when you go to them they don't prescribe you any 
 medicine or even give you a "piki". (injection) >>

I can offer one explanation:

    Since so many of the patients do not read, if there is an injectible 
available it is
    more reliable for treatment than sending different medications with 
different 
    instructions out with someone who cannot read the directions for taking. 
Also,
    injections can't be sold.

=====================

From: Markel Thylefors <markel.thylefors@sant.gu.se>

Friends,
I have always taken for granted the connection HIV and the use of dirty /
used needles. But thinking again... Doesn't the HIV virus die very quickly
once outside the human body? I have heard less than a minute, other have
said up to five minutes. Is it probable that the injectionists, especially
the ambulant ones, vaccinate with shorter intervals than that to any large
extent? 
        I knew one doktè piki; he stated that he cleaned the syringe an
needle before using them again. Even though a lot of dangerous things could
be dwelling in a CAMEP washed syringe I doubt HIV would. Especially
considering the time of cleaning and the quantity of blood to be dangerous.
This particular injectionist only had a couple of clients a week, but on the
other hand he was an old stationary practitioner. Perhaps there are others
more consulted.
Has anybody followed the work of an injectionist more closely? Are there
injectionists at e.g. markets drawing large crowds?

Bye Markel
(by the way, drug users in company is another story, they often take their
shots asasp one after another) 

=============================

From: TESHSTEH@aol.com

Often, if injection is possible, it is chosen over oral administration as it 
gives the care giver more controle over the medication.  I have had pills 
shared, sold, traded, ground up and rubbed into wounds, given to infants, and 
one young woman made them into a very atractive necklace.