Focus turns to clearing rubble – and psychological trauma

OVER 235,000 people have fled the ravaged streets of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince to seek food and shelter in makeshift camps in rural areas.

Since the search and rescue phase of the aid effort has finished up, the focus for Haiti’s desperate citizens has now turned to knocking down half collapsed buildings and pulling the dead bodies from the rubble.

Two weeks on since the quake, hospitals continue to treat tens of thousands of injured people in the city, while in a tense environment aid agencies are dropping food and supplies into areas.

Inside the grounds of Port-au-Prince’s general hospital, screams can be heard as doctors amputate survivors and treat diseased wounds.

Chief physician Paul Auerbach says the medical focus is also shifting.

“We’re starting to focus on psych-social situations. People here have been horribly traumatised. Most of the people here don’t have a place to go and live once they leave this compound.

“If a person has an amputation, that wound has to be inspected every day for signs of infection. These patients will need rehabilitation, they will need prosthesis, there will be plastic surgery that will need to be done to improve the repairs.”

Over 500 patients with a range of wounds are living under plastic sheeting shelters inside the grounds.

Doctors are treating crush injuries, broken bones, wound infections, damaged internal organs and diseases and have delivered a number of babies. One heavily pregnant woman carrying twins was pulled from the rubble last week and successfully treated by medics there.

Patients swat flies away with cardboard while heavily armed US troops guard the compound.

Mothers with legs in casts sit next to their bandaged children while men who have lost their wives and whole families wait to be treated under the scorching midday heat.

In the city, citizens have been asked by the government to leave their collapsed properties and take what belongings they have left before bulldozers begin flattening the mountains of concrete debris.

Irish Aid Minister Peter Power announced another 40 tonnes of aid for survivors yesterday while also pledging to boost the number of Rapid Response Corps on the ground.

The death toll was expected to reach 150,000 yesterday, with up to 200,000 more bodies still buried.

Irish charity GOAL is also set to begin a cash-for work programme for 15,000 survivors in Port-au-Prince while its medics are working in clinics.

Security in the city though remains a concern. Gunshots can be heard at night and looters are targeting food supplies, particularly near the airport.

Charities have also warned that vulnerable girls are at risk of rape and exploitation as the full impact of the Haiti earthquake becomes clear.