San Michel

As much as I want to complain about healthcare regulations, I see the need for many of them after visiting the hospital in Jacmel.
 

San Michel is essentially a courtyard on a hill where only half the buildings are even usable.

 

 

In a country without clean drinking water, Cholera wards are necessary.  Our leader, Ed, told us that there is a 90 some percent success rate if fluids are ran through someone for three days straight.  If someone who has Cholera does not get fluids, the person will likely die in the same amount of time.  There are cots with slits in them for this reason.

Several of the buildings have cracks still from the earthquake (which was 2 ½ years ago). 

 

There was the maternity ward; the open doors and windows allow for the chickens to freely run in and out of them.

 

However, I have to say the breathtaking views certainly compensated for some of the faults.

 

People pay for healthcare totally out of pocket and families must bring the meals to the patients.  The pharmacy is slim-pickin’s and the families must pay for any medicine that the hospital does not have.  Our doctors made a generous donation at the end of our trip of the leftover medicine.

 

I thought at least the hospital would have flushing toilets.  Boy, was I wrong…

 

This is the waiting room for the ER.  The ER is essentially a room about the size of my living room, where about three patients at a time could be seen.

There are no HIPPA regulations here.  I guess the medical team had a tour by one of the doctors, who walked them from room to room, showing them the patients and stating what their ailments were, including HIV (which is on a whole different level of confidentiality than typical diseases).  We took a wide berth around the chronic patients' unit.

 

This was a church on the grounds.  It was badly damaged by the earthquake.  Even though repairs had not been made, the chairs in it seem to indicate there was regular usage.

 

Just in case you don’t make it ,there is a cemetery right on the grounds. Just like New Orleans, the caskets are above the ground.

 

After visiting here and learning the ins and outs of the healthcare system, I see why our medical clinic was so busy every day.  I am just glad I didn't get sick while I was in Haiti.