We arrived at the hospital Friday night in time for introductions all around by the multiple volunteers here and an orientation tour by Dr. Nelson. The hospital is well built and sustained no significant structural damage during the earthquake. It is staffed with a combination of local nurses, anesthetists, and a few local doctors. There are many translators of varying abilities, hired off the street for their ability to speak some English and their willingness to volunteer initially, right after the quake.
The U.S. volunteers include therapists, nurses, several senior medical students from Loma Linda, midwives from all over, an OB doctor, the two general surgeons from PA, and many more I haven’t gotten to know yet. The pic is a Sabbath morning C section.
We have four orthopedists right now; myself, Dr. Gordon Aamoth, (pictured) who has been here a week or so and has been sharing “how to get things done here” with me, Dr. Jack Frankeny, who arrived when I did, and Dr. Scott Nelson, who has been running the orthopedic program here since a few days after the earthquake. We have three operating rooms, but only one U.S. anesthesiologist, Todd Schaeffer, but have local anesthetist come when they can. None have this hospital as their only responsibility, so it is sometimes afternoon before they can get all rooms running.
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