Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) - (MEDICAL VOLUNTEER OPS - HAITI - MEDICAL SUPPLIES/RX)

FROM THE SITE 10/31/10:

Haiti Officials Confirmed a Cholera Outbreak

The outbreak has cost more than 290 people their lives and has infected more than 4,000 people in the Artibonite region, 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince. The majority of patients are being treated at a nearby hospital in Sant Marc. Officials are trying to keep the outbreak from reaching Port-au-Prince, however 5 cases have already been reported in a city where tens of thousands of survivors from January's earthquake are living in tent cities.

Cholera, a waterborne bacterial infection spread through contaminated water, causes severe diarrhea and vomiting that can lead to dehydration and death within hours. Treatment involves administering a salt and sugar-based rehydration serum and sometimes antibiotics. The World Health Organization has stated that this is the first time in a century that cholera has affected Haiti.

CMMB has been in constant contact with the Ministry of Health and was one of the first organizations to provide and deliver supplies for immediate distribution on Friday, October 22nd. These supplies included the following: Hand sanitizers, alcohol swabs, masks, disposable gowns and hospital scrubs, gauze, bandages, tape, syringes, needles and pipettes. Future shipments expected to include antibiotics.

CMMB stands ready to provide whatever pharmaceuticals are needed or requested by our partners to help stem this outbreak.

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VOLUNTEER:

Description: Positions can range from In-Hospital, Outpatient Care or Clinic Setting. Community Outreach Placements are made by matching requests from mission hospitals and clinics and CMMB run offices and programs. Some US trained skills are unrecognized overseas and placement is difficult to find for: EMT's, Medical Assistants, CNA's, etc. There are no opportunities for students on any level. Placements are limited to US and Canadian trained/licensed personnel.

Highlights: All placements provide free room and board; Basic Insurance: Accidental Life, Liability, Malpractice, Medivac.

Those volunteers going 1 year or longer receive full health insurance; modest monthly stipend and all travel expenses.

Most needs are for long term volunteers (1 year or longer) although there are opportunities for those willing to volunteer for a shorter amount of time.

Qualifications: Physicians; Surgeons; Nurses; Dentists; Pharmacists; Therapists (PT, OT, etc.) Mid-level Practitioners; Lab Techs; X-ray Techs; Medical Social Workers; Counselors

Minimum Education: Bachelors

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From 'The Loop' BLOG:

Catholic Medical Mission Board is receiving donations to help victims of the Haiti earthquake. CMMB has two offices in Haiti - in Port au Prince and Jacmel. CMMB's staff of 14 are safe and the office is structurally sound. CMMB has received donated medicines and medical supplies valued at more than $9 million. Nearly $3.3 million of that is either in Haiti or en route. The medicines are being distributed to both major hospitals in street clinics in the affected areas. Additional monetary donations have reached more than $1.1 million. Thanks to all who have donated generously. CMMB has been working with many partners to place volunteers and will continue to do so for future deployment in Haiti.

Available spokespeople:

Dr. Dianne Jean-Francois, CMMB Country Director, Email availability in Haiti – djfrancois11 @yahoo.com; no telephone availability
Jeff Jordan, CMMB Senior Vice President for Programs, Telephone: 011 260 976744016 or Email: jjordan @cmmb.org
Barbara Wright, CMMB Director of Communications, Telephone: 1 212 609 2593, 1 917 734 5317 (mobile) or Email: bwright @cmmb.org
Donations: http://support.cmmb.org/Haiti; Monetary contributions may also be made by sending checks, payable to CMMB-Haiti, to CMMB, 10 West 17th Street, New York City, New York 10011, or by calling 1 800 678 5659.

Donated medicines and medical supplies are also being accepted by CMMB. To make these donations, please contact Kathy Tebbett, at 1 212 242 7757.