On January 30th, a team of 3 doctors and 4 support staff flew to the Dominican Republic on a medical mission trip. During their trip, they saw nearly 900 patients. Ed Shedlick, the team’s historian, wrote a diary that we are sharing here. Thank you Ed and team.
January 30th - Flight to the DR
After a few months of preparation, go day is finally here. Five of the seven team are leaving from Dulles. We met at 4am at check-in, and after a few bumps (I still remember a time when one could get help checking in), the team checked in and made it to the flight on time.
Ed’s update:
So today, I am back in the Dominican Republic (DR) in support of a medical team, doing medical related relief work for both Dominican and Haitian patients. Our plan is to operate a few clinics in the DR then get as close as possible geographically to Haiti to operate a few clinics specifically for Haitian patients.
We will stay in the city of Banica, on the Dominican Republic (DR) side of the Artibonite River (which forms the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and operate some of our clinics in rural areas in and around Banica for our Dominican patients. Then, slightly due west of Banica is an area known as “Los Cacaos”, which is a border crossing point between the DR and Haiti.
It is here at Los Cacaos that we plan on setting up clinic operations focused specifically to our Haitian patients. They will come across the border under the watchful eye of the Dominican police and military, receive treatment, and then be immediately escorted across the border back into Haiti. It’s not perfect, but it reflects current reality – Haiti is right now a schizophrenic basket case where everyday life for Haitians can be problematic while being a Westerner in Haiti is just downright dangerous. So actually going in country is a non starter for us as it is for all of the western NGO’s today.
Given Haiti’s current situation, even with UN intervention, I harbor no illusions that Haiti can or will right itself in my lifetime. It’s too poor, too corrupt, too downright broken to do that currently. Yet, the country and its people continue to “tug” at my heart, as it does to many who have been there previously (including myself) and I have hopes that perhaps one of the children or infants seen by our or other western medical providers might, one day, take up a leadership role and save their country and its people. Hence, I go holding tightly to that hope and prayer.
January 31st - Organize pharmacy
In order to have a successful medical mission trip, several things have to come together. We need a great team (check), we need great partners in the DR (check), and we need to acquire and ship medicines(partial-check).
This year the team collected over the counter medicines and other medical supplies for several weeks before the trip. We then placed all of the supplies in suitcases. Each team member took one or two suitcases with them on the flight. Unfortunately, two of the bags were flagged by Dominican Republic customs, and they removed some of the bags of vitamins. Luckily, the majority of items made it safely through.
In the past, we carried prescription medicines in our suitcases as well. This year, with the help of Dr. Contreras, we purchased all of the prescription medicines in the Dominican Republic. At a minimum, it guaranteed that prescription medicines would be there when we needed them, and they wouldn’t be picked up by customs.
Ed’s update:
So Day #1 was a medicine inventory and replenishment day. We unloaded the medicines we brought in from the states; did an inventory and took stock of what was “confiscated” by Dominican customs; and tried to replace those medicines as best we could. We then packed up the pharmacy in various suitcases and boxes, and now are ready to launch.
Tomorrow is our first clinic in a town named Haro Viejo, a river town south of Banica populated by many migrant Haitians.
My home away from home – it was 91• F with absolutely no breeze today and no air conditioning. No hot water for showers isn’t a bad thing I guess (although a cold shower at 5:00 AM can be a bit traumatic for sure). And now it’s Presidente time!
February 1st - Hato Viejo clinic
Before the team left the US, we worked with Father McGraw and Dr. Contreras to determine how best to deploy the team. We determined that the first 5 days would be primarily focused on the Dominican Republic, and the last two days on Haiti. However, the team would remain on the DR side the whole time.
Ed’s update:
So Day #2 our medical relief trip and our first clinic. We drove to the town of Hato Viejo, and located ourselves in an elementary school.
The town of Hato Viejo has approximately 5,000 inhabitants and is a river town south of Banica on the Artibonite River , the longest river in Haiti, and the longest on the island of Hispaniola. It is also the second-longest river in the Caribbean, behind the Cauto River in Cuba and it forms part of the international border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Today, the team saw approximately 232 patients, including multiple kids of the patients, for a total of 232 patients, with Lorri-Ann Smith and Patrick Smith and I running the pharmacy. Then back to Banica to inventory and reconstitute the pharmacy for tomorrow’s clinic.
And now it’s El Presidente time!
February 2nd - El Corbano
Two days in, and we have realized that we are going to need more prescription medicines. We have ordered more locally and expect to have it by Monday evening.
The team saw less patients today than we were expecting. Maybe it being Sunday and a more remote region caused a smaller number of patients to visit.
Ed’s update:
So Day #3 of our medical relief trip. This morning, we drove north east along the Haitian border to the town of El Corbano, about 30 minutes from Banica. We again set up shop in a local elementary school. Unlike Hato Viejo, which was comprised mostly of Haitian refugees, El Corbano is mostly made up of Dominican residents.
It is Sunday so both church and market day, so the team saw a relatively small number of patients – 51 patients, for a total of 283 patients so far over the last two clinics (232 patients + 51 patients). Again, Patrick Smith, Lorri-Ann Smith and I ran the pharmacy, filling prescriptions.
Afterward, it was back to Banica to inventory and reconstitute the pharmacy for tomorrow’s clinic. And it’s getting to be a habit, but it’s El Presidente time!
February 3rd - El Morro
The team has gotten into a groove, and each clinic is getting easier than the previous one. Aside from the work that is being done in the DR, the team brought supplies for St. Joseph Clinic. More on that in the next few days.
Ed’s update:
So Day #4 of our medical relief trip. This morning, an “hour’ish” long drive in the back of our pickup trucks east into the mountainous interior of the country over rough, unpaved roads to a hamlet called El Morro. We set up our dispensary outside in the shade, which turned out to be a blessing given the nice breeze that was blowing today.
The team saw 160 patients today, for a total of 443 patients so far over the last three clinics (232 patients + 51 patients + 160 patients). Again, Lorri-Ann Smith, Patrick Smith and I ran the pharmacy, filling prescriptions written by our medical providers. Afterward, it was back to Banica to inventory and reconstitute the pharmacy for tomorrow’s clinic.
February 4th - Higuerito
This is the last day of clinics focused on the DR population. The next two will be focusing on Haitians. We are also working with St. Joseph Clinic in Haiti to get a new laptop and medicines to them.
Ed’s update:
So Day #5 of our medical relief trip. This morning, we headed a bit southeast from Banica to the town of Higuerito. Unlike earlier clinics, our journey to Higuerito was accomplished over paved roadway which made getting there (and getting back) so much more easier in the back of the pickup trucks.
The team saw 159 patients today, for a total of 602 patients so far over the last four clinics (232 patients + 51 patients + 160 patients + 159 patients). We even had a visit from the local mayor (who has 2 kids living in New Jersey!).
Afterward, it was back to Banica for Lorri-Ann Smith, Patrick Smith, and I to inventory and reconstitute the pharmacy for our last two clinics, both scheduled to be held at Los Cacaos, one of a number of rather “semi official” border crossing points between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
February 5th - Los Cacaos
This is the first time the team has gone to Los Cacaos on this trip, but we have been here before. Last time, some of the team walked across the border and visited a nascent clinic. Medical Missionaries sent a container to Banica that arrived early January which had medical supplies for that small clinic.
Ed’s update:
So Day #6 of our medical relief trip, Los Cacaos. Truly an interesting place, Los Cacaos is actually described as a “Haitian market town” – which, I think gives rise to the seemingly everlasting question of who actually owns the place, The Dominican Republic or Haiti.
Unlike the crossing point south of Los Cacaos and immediately west of Banica, which is actually nothing more than a rutted pathway across the Artibonite River (and the one I used in 2018 to gain access into Haiti), one can actually cross into Haiti via the Los Cacaos crossing point (which is due west of Pedro Santana) without actually getting one’s feet wet in the Artibonite River. That’s because you cross the Artibonite while still on soil claimed by the Dominican Republic – I’d venture to guess that opinion may not be universally held by Haiti, if you get my drift, which in turn seems to give rise to the ownership question.
Anyway, the team set up in concrete market stalls, and ultimately saw 150 patients today, for a total of 752 patients so far over the last five clinics (232 patients + 51 patients + 160 patients + 159 patients +150 patients). Afterward, it was back to Banica for Lorri-Ann Smith, Patrick Smith and I to imreconstitute the pharmacy as best possible for our last clinic, scheduled to be held back at Los Cacaos tomorrow. In the interim, it’s “Bonne Nuit” as the Haitian Creoles say.
February 6th - Los Cacaos
As we wrap up our final day of clinics, we are aware of the immense need and humbled by the realization that our efforts, though well-intentioned, are a single drop in a vast ocean. Still, this week our work made a difference in the lives of those that we saw.
Ed’s update:
So Day #7 (our last) of our medical relief trip, again in Los Cacaos. Yesterday’s patient count of 150 seemed a bit low, particularly given the proximity of our clinic to the Haitian border crossing point; however today more than made up for it!
Our clinic was only a little over 3 hours long, due to medication limitations, and we saw 120 patients in that short 3 hour period of time! In fact, as we began to run low on medicines and the crowd got wind we were trying to close down, we had a crowd frenzy erupt. We successfully extricated ourselves, filling prescriptions at a frenetic rate, then jumped. Ultimately, we saw 120 patients today, for a total of 872 patients over the six clinics held last week (232 patients + 51 patients + 160 patients + 159 patients +150 patients + 120 patients).
Afterward, it was back to Banica for Lorri-Ann Smith, Patrick Smith, and I to breakdown the pharmacy, package the remaining medicines for donation to our hospital in Thomassique, Haiti or store here for our next series of clinics, celebrate and drink some El Presidente beers and eat some burgers, and get a good night’s rest for our early morning departure overland back to Santo Domingo. Faces of our patients at Los Cacaos, the Haitian border.
February 7th - Santo Domingo
Leaving Banica. Team has left supplies for St. Joseph Clinic, though very little was left over. Team will relax tonight and then fly back to the US tomorrow. If this sort of trip sounds interesting to you, drop a note at info@medicalmissionaries.org, and let us know.
Ed’s update:
So today, it was a morning 4.5 hour bus ride on the “Expreso Banica” taking Lorri-Ann Smith, Patrick Smith and me from Banica to Santo Domingo for our flight home tomorrow.
Checkpoints along the way slowed our progress as the Dominican National Police looked for illegal Haitian migrants trying to get from the border area to Santo Domingo.
And what could be more exciting than knowing that hot showers (the 0530 cold showers in Banica were not really refreshing for me no matter how many times I told myself they were!), a comfortable bed (the steel framed bunk beds left a lot to be desired), and a pool and bar all awaited us in Santo Domingo at the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino (a Marriott property).
Even more exciting? Old town Santo Domingo on a Friday night and a big pepperoni pizza at Pizzarelli!
