Haiti Earthquake Response:Disability and Health Branch
Addresses the Needs of Amputees
Marcia Miller , M.P.H, M.S.WMary Helen Witten, M.P.H., M.S.W
April 26, 2010
The Earthquake
On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti, causing catastrophic damage inside and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince
Serious loss of life and injuries expected
Haiti Earthquake Facts
Worst earthquake to hit Haiti in 200 years Up to 3 million people lived in the area worst hit Poorest country in the western hemisphere Government of Haiti said more than 230,000
people died in the earthquake 300,000 people are believed to have been injured 1.2 million people were left needing emergency
shelter
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/15/world/americas/15haiti.html
D&H Responds
Immediate Goal:
Establish internal and external collaborations
Prioritize activities and respond to requests
Identify the needed medical information for both clinicians and amputees
Identifying funding and policy initiatives
Disseminate information in accessible and suitable formats for patients and clinicians
Culturally appropriate materials
Collaborations
Vince Campbell talks with Mark Bashor, OPHPR lead for at-risk populations to start discussions around the response
Brian Armour pulls together informal meeting with D&H staff and Amputee Coalition of America’s (ACA) to discuss potential role during this crisis regarding: Disability Amputation surgeries Wound care Limb care
Mary Helen Witten, Marcia Miller, and Amanda Aldridge work with ACA on their draft Plan of Action and Communication’s Plan
Collaborations Cont.
Marcia Miller works with Associate Director of Communications in Injury, EOC/CHET, Clinician Desk and translation services
Amanda Aldridge/NCBDDD Communication’s office work on messaging and media coverage Mary Helen is interviewed by media
Brian Armour and Vince Campbell follow up with CIOs: Clifford McDonald, Chief, Prevention and Response Branch,
DHQP, answers questions on lack of sterile water for irrigation
Rick Hunt (Division Director and Emergency Physician), Scott Sasser, and Ernie Sullivent in Injury re: surveillance efforts
Amputee Coalition of America quickly identified as the key external partner in the efforts to address the need for information, fact sheets, clinical expertise and other partners.
The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) and msnbc.com are working together to open a dialogue between U.S. amputees and recent amputees in Haiti. The msnbc.com "Building a Life Worth Living" project will translate amputees’ interviews and essays into Kreyòl (Haitian Creole) to be shared with those in Haiti. You can also read them in English at haitiamputees.msnbc.msn.com, including an interview with ACA member and certified peer visitor Mona Patel and her open letter to Haitian amputees (see “Letters to Haiti: A Young Mother Copes With Amputation”). Check back soon for future interviews, including those with ACA President & CEO Kendra Calhoun and ACA Board member Marshall J. Cohen.
Collaborations, Cont.
Mary Helen Witten worked with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation on their response to the crisis
Two 10K grants have been issued to Brightcove and Portlight Strategies to support the efforts in Haiti
Assisting both ACA and Reeve to determine what other partners they might work with and next steps to improve immediate communication and lay the ground work for long term rehabilitation need and peer support options
Responding to Requests
Requests for information on crush injuries,wound and limb care from:
USNS Comfort deployed to Haiti (long term key ACA partner – direct communication)-3 football fields long and one wide -250 hospital beds-550-person medical team …intensive care units and wards werebeginning to fill to capacity of 1,000 beds. “We have never had that number on the ship,but we can do it,” -- Navy Dr. (Capt.) JimWare, The Medical group commander
CDC Emergency Operations Center, Clinician Desk
(Source: Baltimore Sun 01/17/10)
Information for Patients and Clinicians
Mary Helen and Marcia worked with ACA to modify existing materials
Easy to read information
Consider devastation and lack of resources
One page fact sheets: culturally and situationally sensitive; appropriate reading level
FACT SHEET FOR PATIENTS AFTER AMPUTATIONS OR
OTHER SURGERIES
HOW CAN I TAKE CARE OF MY NEW ARM OR LEG?
Working with the EOC
http://eocportal/
CDC EOC serves as the CDC/ATSDR's central public health incident management center for coordinating and supporting the staff, information, communications, and security issues associated with CDC's response to public health disasters, emergencies, disease outbreaks, and investigations.
Patient Education Materials
In working with the ECS’s JIC, IMT, TSU, Web, CHET, and Clinician Desk…the materials were made available online at:
http://www.emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/ Under “Haiti: Info for Specific Groups -- Amputees:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/amputees.asp
Translations were handled within 48 hours via the CHET Once cleared, podcast scripts were developed and posted:
http://www2c.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=769688 Angie Colson, Charlotte Duggan, Tom Race and Matthew
Reynolds Educated the ECS about ACA and listing their link on the
CDC Emergency website
Clinician Information
Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity, COCA call (March 3, 2010)
Presentation: Physical and Psychological Impact of Increased Limb Lost Among Haiti Earthquake Survivors
Presenters: Mary Helen Witten, introductions, Dr. Sheehan (the ACA Medical Director) and Dr. Stephen Wegener (from Johns Hopkins University and Medical Advisory Committee (MAC))
COCA website: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/coca/
Moving Forward
Assist ACA as they deploy volunteer peer support counselors to Haiti ACA consulted with Helping Hands for Haiti about
possible peer support activities: implementation and sustainability
ACA’s MAC members Terry Sheehan, Nancy Payne, RN, and Bob Gaily, PhD, PT have traveled to Haiti and took materials
Helping Hands for Haiti requested easy to read materials and photos to use with patients
Support ACA and CDRF as they work with partners to obtain prosthetics, crutches, wheelchairs and other assistive technology for use in Haiti
Continue to collaborate with Injury and arrange a meeting with ACA and Injury
Follow-up with requests from the military
Questions??
