About Holy Family Clinic

[posted by Linda Manz]
My name is Linda and this was my first visit to Haiti. It was an enriching experience that I will not forget.  I have been asked to tell of a few of the many places and people we encountered.

Unpacking

unpacking the meds we brought with us

Dr. Chartelin in the middle and Dr. Job on the right

Exam Room

The pharmacy

The clinic at Holy Family Parish is very rudimentary but such an asset to the community of Cerca.  There is an intake/record room, two exam rooms, a pharmacy room, dental room and a lab for basic tests. There is no running water but there are plans to rectify this with the addition of possibly two bathrooms.  Drs Chartelin and Job do the best that they can with what they have, a stethoscope to hear abnormal sounds, their hands to palpate, and caring hearts for their patients.  Dr Chartelin is the doctor normally, but Dr Job came because we were there.  Theresa and I spent only one morning with them getting vital signs, weights, and reason for their visit, with the help of our trusty translator, Joseph. We were free some afternoons, but there were few or no patients at those times.   Apparently this was due to tthree reasons: thanks to the medical care that has been provided, people are healthier than they used to be, a group of Americans visited a Protestant church recently and provided care and lots of medicines, and, because no American doctors were with us, they did not advertise on the radio station as they for our past visits.  Thanks to the generosity of St Edward’s parishoners, we were able to stock the pharmacy room with many medicines which were given to the patients as ordered.    

The most health problems they see are related to malnutrition, with gastrointestinal ailments and pneumonia prevalent also.  Dr Chartelin says he sees about 30 malaria cases per month.  The doctor does some patient teaching at the visit, but says patient follow ups are minimal due to the ignorance of health care concerns on the part of many of the people.