"Sante Fanm se Lavni Fanmi"

It was another packed day for the CCC team here in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. Because we have so much ground to cover to accomplish this ambitious 11-clinic project, we decided to split up and head to two different sites in the North Department. Dr. Jennifer Lang’s team, including intern Leila, and CCC nurse Caitlin, headed to Hopital L’esperance (which translates to “Hospital of Hope”) in Pilate, which is approximately a 2.5 hour drive on a very rough (mostly unpaved) road from Cap-Haitien. Dr. Mamta Sanghvi’s team, including interns Stephen and Yvonne headed to Hopital Grande Riviere du Nord in the town of Grande Riviere.

“Team Hope”: Upon our arrival, Dr. Lang, Leila and Caitlin were warmly greeted by Sister Louisa Belanger, the Executive Director of the hospital. We were given a brief tour of this lovely and immaculately clean hospital as patients began to fill the lobby. The cholera unit, with rows of beds with holes cut out in the center for waste removal, was heart-wrenching. We met an adorable baby boy named Shelby, who had been abandoned and was being raised communally by the hospital nurses. Shortly thereafter, we were joined by Tracey Morgan, IMC’s Country Director for Haiti. Soon it was time to begin “See and Treat” with Anne Marie Durosier, our IMC nurse and former CCC trainee; Darlyne Accil, our current trainee; and Dr. Emmanuel Clairvil, who came in during his vacation just to perfect his skill at the procedure. After the final patient, our trainees, Darlyne and Dr. Clairvil, were awarded their well-deserved certificates. The name on the clinic sign that will hang here permanently is “Sante Fanm se Lavni Fanmi” which means “The health of the woman is the health of the family.” We couldn’t have said it better!