The Supply Chain

Be careful what you wish for.

The outpouring of donations to the Haitian people after the quake was tremendous. Add to that ongoing support of existing humanitarian programs, and the volume can overwhelm even a reasonably sophisticated infrastructure. So it is here in Milot at the CRUDEM compound.
Over the last three months, we have received supplies at an unprecedented rate. Our staff works tirelessly to store it out of the rain, in makeshift tents, and existing buildings. Because the supplies are medical in nature, you need someone with a surgical background to aid in sorting and prioritizing the inventory.

As the CMO, the task fell to me.

Because the facility also holds the stockroom for the hospital pharmacy, access is limited and the only key is in the possession of a hospital pharmacist. After a bit of negotiation, we gained access. The pictures tell the story. Our volunteers took hundreds of boxes outside into the bright sunlight and tried to organize them in some reasonable fashion. As the boxes came out, thousands of dollars of equipment came into view. The ICU has no built in oxygen. Loose tanks are available, but limited and we had several patients in need of oxygen. We found three oxygen generators under the boxes of drapes.
I actually did find several neatly labeled pallets with 40 large boxes, taking up about 250 square feet of floor space (the picture shows just three to give you an idea of the size). I was excited to think what must be inside – it was Prozac. Now I’m all for pharmacological support of those suffering from trauma and depression. But based on our local population, we could dose everyone for several decades.
The experience made me reflect on my own response to seeing suffering in distant lands. You want to do something, and sending money is easy, but seems hollow. Gathering supplies at your hospital, labeling, packing, and shipping is tangible, and done properly, is important. The key is to make sure that what you are sending is truly needed. Easier said, then done.
So today’s blog isn’t about patients, but about what it takes to have the means to care for them. Sometimes in the midst of plenty, you don’t have what you need – but every once in a while, when you’re doing something else, you’re wishes are answered.