6286: bragging about health care-Bushey (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LBushey <lbushey@globelsud.net>


     keywords: Doctors, Hospital St. Damien, children
     
     I am writing to tell about the excellent care we received at the 
     Hospital Saint Damien (aka Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs) in 
     Petionville. It is the large white building at the top of Pan 
     Americaine #117 just at the corner where you turn for Hotels Villa 
     Creole and El Rancho. (phone 257-0426)
     
     This hospital has given me a whole new outlook on Haitian health care. 
     As an American living in Haiti, I have had some pretty good 
     experiences with some pretty good Doctors here but this place was 
     EXCELLENT! I have been taking care of a 18 month old Haitian girl 
     (like a foster situation) for a couple months. She weighed only 14 
     pounds but was stable health wise. Then she took a turn for the worse 
     and wouldn't eat or drink anything and I was scared with her high 
     fever. So on American Thanksgiving Day I took her to the clinic at 
     that hospital. We were treated so well! Overall this place impresses 
     me because they are so respectful and caring. All of the staff that we 
     encountered where professional and knowledgeable. The facilities are 
     clean, good equipment and offered nice healthy meals. When we first 
     arrived, during the relatively short wait, they offered my baby girl 
     oral rehydrating fluid to drink. We paid 5 gourdes for the visit only. 
     Her weight was now down to only 11 pounds. Then we were seen by the 
     most wonderful Doctor but unfortunately I can't spell her name. She's 
     the medical Director there. The Dr. diagnosed Rosie with measles among 
     other infections. Because their beds were full and her condition 
     contagious they were unable to admit her but kept her for the whole 
     day on an IV fluid. I cared for her at home but 4 days later after 
     elections when I saw no improvement, I took her back and this time 
     they admitted her. Rosie stayed in the hospital for almost 2 1/2 
     weeks. I spent a lot of time in the hospital there and during all 
     those days I only have positive things to say about the staff and 
     facilities. They did an in house x-ray for only $5.00 HD and all the 
     medicines they gave were free also. There are a million little things 
     I could brag about this great place but the biggest one is that the 
     staff truly cares. It was so encouraging to me to see nurses who 
     actually talked to the patients as well as cared for their needs. As a 
     small token to thank the staff I wrote a glowing letter, donated some 
     kids clothes, left cash for others who could pay some of the test 
     fees, and gave some OTC meds I had. I 'hear' that they don't accept 
     private pay patients but are there to help those who can't afford 
     other health care. I also 'heard' that they won't deny anyone with an 
     emergency since they keep Drs on staff all night. I have only touched 
     the tip of explaing this place but wanted others to know, that yes, 
     there is some excellent health care here in Haiti.