13136: News from the Batey Relief Alliance (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "Batey Relief Alliance, Inc. [BRA]" <bateyrelief@mindspring.com>

BRA remembers victims of September 11, 2001
September 11, 2002, News from the BRA: bateyrelief@mindspring.com
**Please forward this e-mail to others**

BRA needs long-term health care volunteers to work in the Dominican
Republic:

The Batey Relief Alliance [BRA - www.bateyrelief.org] in collaboration with
the Catholic Medical Mission Board [CMMB - www.cmmb.org] seeks volunteer
licensed ophthalmologists, optometrists, pediatricians, internists,
gynecologists, nurses and public health experts to run a mobile health care
project in the Dominican Republic. The program will be in operation starting
February 2003.  We need your professional commitment for at least six
months, one year or more.  The 30-foot mobile clinic is designed and
fully-equipped to provide vision and medical care, and preventive health
education to thousands of impoverished persons languishing in remotely
located sugar cane communities known as bateys including those identified as
Haitian migrant workers and their families.

Basic health care in the bateys is virtually absent.  Most cannot afford it
because of money, racial discrimination or fear of deportation. The batey
population generally lives in constant struggle without clean water, health
education, food, sanitation or electricity. The results are high infant
mortality, malnutrition, HIV infections, malaria, sexually-transmitted
diseases, diabetes, hypertension and blindness.  Children born of
undocumented Haitian parents in the Dominican Republic suffer the worst
fate: they have no Dominican birth certificates.

As a volunteer, you will not only provide direct patient care, but also
collaborate with local health professionals and train practitioners.  You
will address immediate medical needs through direct patient care as well as
through medical training to help upgrade the skills of local healthcare
providers. Our ultimate goal is to help local personnel assume the role of
providers as well as educators, so that they in turn can pass on their
skills within the community.  All the medicines, medical supplies and
equipment you will need for your work will be provided to you free of
charge.

We will provide you with free room and board; medical and evacuation
issuance; life insurance, including coverage for spouse and dependents; and,
if applicable, malpractice insurance.  You will also receive full health
insurance, a modest stipend, paid travel expenses and visas assistance.
Please apply today by contacting Ulrick Gaillard at
bateyrelief@mindspring.com.

BRA discussed health care proposals with University of California at San
Francisco:

As part of BRA's effort to deliver dependable health care in the bateys,
BRA's Executive Director, Ulrick Gaillard, Regional Director, Maria Virtudes
Berroa and other member heads of the Alliance met last week in Santo Domingo
with Dr. Catherine Maternowska to discuss ways both institutions can
collaborate to deliver ongoing and dependable health care to the batey
population of the Dominican Republic. Dr. Catherine Maternowska represented
the University and the Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy
(CRHRP). Dr. Maternowska visited various bateys, met with various NGO and
government organizations, and discussed ways in which UCSF might cooperate
with BRA and others to help establish or support comprehensive reproductive
health care efforts. Meanwhile, Dr. Maternowska proposes to start
immediately a rotation of ObGyn residents from the UCSF through established
clinics in the bateys needing clinicians. The rotation project will be part
of BRA's 2003 Mobile Health Care Clinic.

Haiti's General Consul in the Dominican Republic, Edwin Paraison, met with
BRA's Executive Director:

During a short visit last week with Haiti's General Consul in the Dominican
Republic, Edwin Paraison, BRA's Executive Director, Ulrick Gaillard
reiterated BRA's commitment to assist poor Haitians and Dominicans of
Haitian origin who are in dire need of health assistance in the bateys and
city slums. To reinforce that stand, BRA donated US $200,000 worth of
medicines and supplies to the Haitian Embassy to help provide emergency care
to hundreds of Haitians who cannot afford care because of money.  For the
past five years, BRA has established a cooperation with the Embassy and the
Consulate by donating each year medicines, vitamins, orthopedic supplies to
the government institutions, to in turn deliver them to local public
hospitals and clinics where impoverished Haitians might frequent in case of
health emergency.

BRA distributed medicines, supplies and equipment to its local member
organizations:

As part of the organization's health care intervention in the bateys, each
year, BRA's Executive Director supervises the distribution of millions of
dollars of health care supplies to BRA's local member organizations and
partner government agencies so that they are equipped to provide ongoing
care to the impoverished populations, including Haitian migrant workers and
their families languishing in the bateys without access to basic health
care. BRA solicits and collects this year's donations from the Catholic
Medical Mission Board, Heart-to-Heart, Direct Relief International, Bayer
Corporation, Medfarm, Inc., Providence Hospital of Kansas, Roosevelt
Hospital of New York City, etc. - an investment of more than US $ 2 million.
Recipients include mainly all member organizations of the Alliance, the
Dominican's Ministry of Health (SESPAS), the Dominican's State Sugar Council
(CEA), the Haitian Embassy and other local organizations provide basic
health care in the bateys.  BRA's health intervention in the Dominican
Republic comprises of providing short term assistance through medical
missions in the bateys; ensuring ongoing care by distributing drugs and
supplies to local members of the Alliance to provide care in the bateys and
city slums; via mobile care to remotely located bateys through our
soon-to-be inaugurated Mobile Health Care Clinic in February 2003; and via
long-term care through two medical facilities recently ceded to BRA by the
Dominican's partner agency, the State Sugar Council (CEA). We invite you to
become a donor and supporter in supplies, medicines and equipment by
contacting us at bateyrelief@mindspring.com.  All donations are
tax-deductible.

Dominican's Ministry of Health discussed with BRA health plans:

Since its agreement signed two years ago with the Dominican's Health
Ministry (SESPAS) to develop a comprehensive collaborative health care plan
for the bateys, BRA's Executive Director, Ulrick Gaillard, met last week
with the new State Secretary of Health, Dr. Jose Rodriguez Soldevida.  The
meeting covered BRA's commitment to continue to collaborate with the
government for its health intervention in the bateys and to provide
assistance in much needed drugs and supplies to the department to cure
diseases; and BRA's plan to establish the mobile care clinic and the health
center in the bateys of Monte Plata starting next year.  Dr. Soldevida
welcomed our effort and promised to collaborate with BRA in customs and
medical clearances, logistics and integrating our organization's health care
plan in the country's national health objectives.

For more information and any questions about these news, please contact
Ulrick Gaillard at (917) 627-5026 or bateyrelief@mindspring.com.  Please
visit us at www.bateyrelief.org.

----
MEMBER OF GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL
www.bateyrelief.org
Batey Relief Alliance, Inc. (BRA)
Ulrick Gaillard, Executive Director
P.O. Box 300565
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230-0565 USA
(917) 627-5026
bateyrelief@mindspring.com

Maria Virtudes Berroa, Regional Director
BRA Dominicana
Apartado Postal 5085
Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana
(809) 383-1547
bra.dominicana@mindspring.com