Alarming Malnutrition in the Mountains of Haiti

Danitas Children • Aug 27, 2018

Last week our medical and malnutrition team traveled to Baie d’Orange  for a  mobile medical clinic where hundreds of children’ lives where saved! Our incredible team was able to consult and treat 167 children  in 8 hours ! Of the 167 children, 20 were severely malnourished. We were able to transport six of them to our Medical Center this past week for in-patient treatment and put the rest on the outpatient program we have in their town.

Prior to traveling to Jacmel, Haiti, and before the three hour drive into the mountains to treat these children, we had planned our meeting with Joel, a nurse from the community who has dedicated his life to treating cholera in his town and surrounding areas. The night we arrived, our team toured Joel’s cholera clinic, which he runs out of old donated container. He has treated almost 2,000 cholera patients himself in the past few years. At times, he doesn’t have gloves or IV fluid to do his work, but he’s always there. Once our Malnutrition Program Director asked him, “What happens if YOU get cholera?” He responded very confidently, “God will take care of me.”

“Joel is truly the most amazing human being I’ve ever met. You wouldn’t even believe the things he is doing with such little resources,” our Malnutrition Program Director mentioned. He is not employed by any organization, so he raises bees to make honey to support himself and his family so he can continue to help his community as a nurse.

After our team returned, we were able to arrange transport for one mother and her two very sick children to come to our Center. Sadly, we received news that one of her children died on the way. The mother turned around to bury the child, and came back with the other child the next day. This is the reality in Baie d’Orange. The malnutrition in this area is alarming right now. They haven’t seen a malnutrition epidemic like this in a long time.

None of this work would be possible without the prayer, support and commitment of our donors, team and individuals like Joel in communities deep in the mountains of Haiti. Please be in prayer about the future of this community and click the link below to help today!

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