Students and faculty from the Physician Assistant (PA) and Physical Therapy (PT) departments at Wichita State traveled to Haiti last November to provide much needed medical services to Haitian residents. PA Director of Didactic Education Emily Mirakian, PA students Courtney Snyder and Michelle Kaufman, and PT students Brooke Hansen and Amber Buckles, donated their time and talents to the Dr. Victor Brinkley Hospital in the city of Pierre Payen. They traveled in collaboration with the humanitarian organizations Grace 4 Haiti and Project HELP. 

The group was accompanied by Wichita-area practitioners Dr. Naomi Shields, orthopedic surgeon at Advanced Orthopaedic Associates; Dr. Richard Steinberger, urologist at the Wichita Urology Group; and Max Jolly, third-year medical resident at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Other practitioners and students throughout Kansas were on the trip, as well. 

“It was a pleasure to work with other medical professionals dedicated to the same result,” said Mirakian. “Our group became very close and we really learned a lot from each other.” 

Limited opportunities for residents

Although Haiti offers beautiful scenery and tropical temperatures, the country suffers from many environmental and economic challenges, including mudslides, flooding, water contamination, a major food crisis, lack of education and a high number of orphans. The nation is slowly recovering from the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 that killed over 100,000 people and caused massive destruction to homes and hospitals. 

There are very limited opportunities to earn a living in Haiti. The average salary is approximately $3 per day, making it difficult to rebuild homes and pay for medical care. Many people live in tents or behind brick walls. Most have never visited a doctor. 

The PA team treated patients for a variety of conditions including rashes, fibroids, hypertension, neuropathy, diabetes, and much more. The lack of clean water and sanitation causes many people to be afflicted with intestinal issues and parasites. The physical therapy team treated patients with issues such as lower back, sciatic nerve, neck and shoulder pain. If the patients were unable to return to the hospital for more therapy, they were sent home with exercises that worked best for their diagnoses. 

Patients were seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Most people traveled for hours by foot, bike, motorcycle or tap-tap, a brightly painted bus or pickup truck that serves as public transportation. When arriving at the clinic, patients typically waited two or three hours to be seen. The physical therapists evaluated and treated 25-40 patients per day. The medical team completed over 300 OB/GYN checkups and performed 50 surgeries during their visit. 

“There are so many things we take for granted in the U.S., such as electricity and running water,” said Mirakian. “The Haitians, most of who live in extreme poverty, were happy and truly appreciative of our services.” 

Lack of supplies pose a challenge

A major challenge the team faced was the lack of medication and supplies. The hospitals in Haiti are vastly different from the high standards we are accustomed to. Medical care Americans take for granted, such as access to basic medications and equipment, is not typical in Haiti. The pharmacy at the hospital is supplied solely by items brought from the U.S. The physical therapists used basic materials to make slings, braces and stands. Although volunteers brought as many supplies as possible, some medications needed to treat patients were not available. 

“We had to get creative with some of our treatments,” said Mirakian. “At times we had to use two or three different medications to replace one we didn’t have. We also had to consider what medications the patient could afford.” 

Other daily challenges the team encountered were language barriers, exhaustion and high heat and humidity. Since the hospital did not have many safety procedures in place, the team worked to train Haitian medical providers on proper sanitation techniques and procedures for patient care. 

Although the work was mentally and physically demanding, the group agrees the rewards far outweighed the challenges. The smiles and gratitude they got from patients made it all worthwhile. 

“Helping patients that otherwise would not have gotten the care they needed was very rewarding,” said Mirakian. “It was an incredible experience that allowed us to grow and learn so much personally and professionally.” 

Strong interest

The Dr. Victor Brinkley Hospital was founded by Dr. Victor Brinkley and his wife Donna in 1991. The hospital is run year-round by Haitian doctors, but their ability to care for patients is much greater when American medical professionals are there. 

The WSU group shared their story with students and faculty in the College of Health Professions, and there has been a strong interest in the program. The next trip is planned for November, with the goal of eventually making the trip biannually. 

Mirakian said helping others for a good cause is a passion of hers and encourages interested students and faculty to learn more about volunteering. She also said the need for volunteers goes beyond the health care industry. Other volunteer opportunities include mechanics, construction workers, drivers and more. 

Monetary donations can be made to Grace 4 Haiti through their website. Donations for supplies, equipment and medication within three months of expiration can also be delivered to Ahlberg Hall on the WSU main campus. 

PA students and faculty in Haiti.