Medical Evacuation from Haiti

Medical Evacuation from Haiti

Most of us are aware of the devastating Haiti earthquake of January 2010. Now, six years and several deadly storms later—including the most recent Hurricane Matthew—the country is still in desperate need of humanitarian, financial and rebuilding aid. But even prior to the earthquake, this impoverished island nation was a popular destination for the humanitarian and church organizations we at Insurance Services of America regularly insure.

One such organization, Bettendorf Christian Church in Iowa, sent a small group of women to Haiti on a mission trip. Not long after their arrival, the earthquake rocked the country and badly injured one of the church’s volunteers. Peggy Wilson suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs when an 8-foot wall fell on her.

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US State Department Travel Warning for Haiti

US State Department Travel Warning for Haiti

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Haiti about the current security situation. This replaces the Travel Warning dated June 18, 2012, updating information regarding the level of crime, the presence of cholera, lack of adequate infrastructure – particularly in medical facilities – seasonal severe inclement weather, and limited police protection. The United Nations’ Stabilization Force for Haiti (MINUSTAH) remains in Haiti.

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Restore Haiti Mission Trip Update

Leading up to the trip, our team kept busy. We were constantly receiving donations for health kits, which we assembled two weeks prior to the trip. We sorted hundreds of medications to distribute at the clinic. Lastly, we prepared as a team.

The ages of the team members ranged from the teens to the 50’s, but we would not let age interfere with our connection as a group. We viewed it as something to celebrate. It showed  that no one is too young or too old to set an example as a follower of Christ. As we landed in Port-au-Prince, and prepared to drive to Jacmel everyone’s hearts were racing. The entire team was anxious for the week ahead, and ready to see what the Lord had prepared for them. Read More »

Updated US State Department Travel Warning for Haiti

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Haiti about the security situation in Haiti. This replaces the Travel Warning dated August 8, 2011, to update information regarding the crime level, the prevalence of cholera, lack of adequate infrastructure – particularly in medical facilities – seasonal severe inclement weather, and limited police protection. The United Nations’ Stabilization Force for Haiti (MINUSTAH) remains in Haiti. Read More »

Not Your Ordinary Evacuation

Many clients ask me how medical evacuations are handled? My response: No two evacuations are the same.

When there is a medical emergency and the insured is not able to receive adequate local care, then he or she must call the 24 hour telephone assistance number. A crisis manager will begin asking the insured questions regarding his or her location, contact information, a description of injury or illness, policy information and if there is an attending physician. All this information will determine how, where and when the evacuation will be orchestrated.

On January 9th, our client, who was in Haiti, received a needle stick while providing care to patients. Read More »