Medicines sans frontieres Flashcards
What were the national strategies of MSF in Haiti after the cholera outbreak in 2010?
Maintaining emergency supply base in Panama - could get supplies into port-au-prince before airports became jammed - although mainly non-medical supplies
General hospital with a capacity of 212 beds
Training programmes for medical students and specialist doctors + long-term transition plan
Set up foundation involving partners from Haitian civil society, universities and other sponsors
Medical specialties including orthopaedics, general surgery, burn care, asthma, diabetes, hypertension, functional rehabilitation
Staff recruited in Haiti according to skills and qualities necessary for proper functioning of medical activities
What were the local strategies?
85,000 relief supply units distributed 280,000 tents across 3000 families cost £11.7 million Helped supply locals with water, electricity, sanitation Inflatable hospital in port-au-prince Oral rehydration points Construction of field hospitals Provision of surgery Psychological care Ensuring safe removal and burial of bodies
What were the challenges faces by MSF before the cholera outbreak?
Earthquake damaged infrastructure (including water sources and medical facilities)
70-80% could not afford healthcare - more than 7% on less than US$2 a day
Substandard hygiene in displacement camps after earthquake
Close to 3/4 of population with insufficient or no access to healthcare services - cannot afford
What were the challenges faced by MSF after the outbreak?
Spread very quickly - had to rapidly set up new treatment centres - not enough capacity
Patient stigmatisation meant many treatment centres were stoned or damaged
Slow economic recovery - lack of clarity over property rights, slow clearing of debris +reconstruction of infrastructure
Violence and social and political instability
Meteorological hazards frequent - caused loss of agricultural crops and livestock and further weakened infrastructure
Was the MSF response effective?
80% patients received treatment in first 2 months
only 1.5% of people who got cholera died
Some lack of coordination with other parties and NGOs
