245991 Haiti 2010 Earthquake International Disaster Response

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Madelyn Reyes, MA, MPA, RN , HRSA/MCHB/DHSPS, Rockville, MD
Johannie Escarne, MPH , Maternal and Child Health Bureau(MCHB) , Divison of Healthy Start and Perintal Services (DHSPS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Rockville, MD
Keisher Highsmith, DrPH , HRSA/MCHB/DHSPS, Rockville, MD
Gettie Audain, MPH, RN , Division of Science and Policy Policy Development, HRSA/HIV/AIDS Bureau, Rockville, MD
This presentation will focus on the response system Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) activated to identify, respond and monitor the clinical needs of Haiti earthquake survivors by setting up six HHS supported camps that provided direct health care. The presenters will discuss their deployment experience in support of the Haiti mission. Specifically, this presentation will focus on the experiences of culturally diverse US Public Health Service (PHS) Officers that were deployed to provide 1) effective and efficient delivery of medical care to earthquake survivors 2) medical infrastructure support in Florida to provide repatriation assistance to Haitian American citizens; and 3) information management and reporting of medical needs of earthquake survivors to the Secretary's Operation Center in Washington, DC. As a result of this robust response system, the overall operational capacity of the mission delivered health services effectively, efficiently, and with cultural sensitivity.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
1. To provide an overview of the deployment experiences of U.S. Public Health Service (PHS)Officers in response to the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti. 2. To describe the emergency response infrastructure and capabilities of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and partnering Federal/State agencies during a rapidly changing mission which included proficient de-mobilizing and re-mobilizing. 3. To provide an overview of how valuable their culturally and linguistically competent skills were used to successfully provide quality medical assistance to the Haitian people and on the ultimate success of the PHS Haitian mission. 4. To describe the data collection and reporting process of the medical needs of earthquake survivors and how it relates to the overall 2010 Haiti Mission.

Keywords: International Public Health, Public Health Service

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was an active participant in this international disaster response mission.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: IH Poster Session: Innovations in International Health
See more of: International Health