Less for the Poor

Haitian doctor outside his posh office yesterday.  Just saved man with serious head injury

Last night I and the Hospital team in Haiti sweated it out in a long Zoom meeting.  Trying to get the Hospital’s income and expenditure to balance.  In the face of economic recession and falling Hospital income, increased medical costs caused by Covid-19.  And of course, Covid-19 itself.  These Hospital leaders are good people, but the meeting ended with no solution, no balanced budget.  They just cannot believe we cannot tap into UK donations and UK foreign aid.

But friends, UK foreign aid is at the moment nowhere to be seen.  My colleagues in Hope Health Action have been active.  UK Government overseas aid (DfID) have put aside millions to help tackle Covid-19 in poor countries.  DfID said to us – apply.  Then last week DfID said, just wait a minute….  Yesterday we found out why.

Ring Ring Ring

Ring, ring, ring – and the thread of your discussion goes ping!  We’re discussing a complex accounting issue with my Haitian colleagues, in three languages (English, French, Creole).  Then … a shrill jingle… the phone is picked up.  And poof! The thread of thought is broken.  On another day I was in a personal 1-to-1 conversation with a Haitian friend … a shrill jingle… the phone is picked up.  And poof! A sheepish smile “sorry, I won’t be a moment.”

If I’m honest – after many visits to Haiti, I still get annoyed.  For a people who value personal relations so highly, I wondered why is an incoming call given such priority over face to face conversation.

Haitian Medical Director responds to Aid scandal

In light of the recent Haiti aid scandal and on-going questions over international aid, the Medical Director of Hospital HCBH, Dr Paul Toussaint, has written the below reflection.  It’s a longer blog than normal, but a very insightful reflection from the perspective of one of Haiti’s leading Paediatricians:

Charities work in many sectors: Water, sanitation, health education, human rights etc. But why so many organisations?  What are the results?  We are asking these questions perplexed.

Oxfam Haiti Crisis and us

HHA team with UK Ambassador and Hospital leadership. Us in our DFID T-shirts. team work. no abuse. May 201

Orgies, sexual favours – all part of Oxfam’s 2011 Haiti crisis. And in South Sudan also.  We were in Haiti in this period too, and also help in South Sudan.  After the cataclysmic 2010 earthquake – Hope Health Action and The Baptist Hospital swiftly repurposed buildings to take in spinal injuries, and later cholera victims.  Working intensely with other agencies and of course, the Baptist Hospital, many lives were saved, though many many more were beyond our reach.  It was a desperate time.  And Oxfam, with its hugely larger funds, backed with UK-Aid was able to reach more. 

Running for a life – end

We’re underway

Cheers Dave, joining the run to help out HHA

Virgin London 10k run. Done for Hope Health Action. Real sweat and exhaustion, so Suzette can enjoy less seat and exhaustion. Thanks to all donors. Your money is getting spent well.