Last January one of the most terrible earthquake since many years destroyed a big part of Port au prince and suburbs in Haiti. Over 300.000 deaths and at least the same amount of wounded people …

espras.SHARE (Surgical Humanitarian Aid Resources Europe), our humanitarian section (involving 15 surgical European NGOs) immediately decided to participate to the emergency care . 15 teams , mainly in plastic reconstructive surgery, but also gynaecology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, have been involved in this solidarity effort, coming from France, Germany, Holland, Italy, mostly from the Interplast and HumaniTerra groups, with a 10 days turn over each. Some of them have treated over 100 patients during their stay on the Island … good deal compared to the very bad conditions in which they had to operate and live …

Now, after this acute period, comes the reconstruction step. SHARE will be there again. We have signed a “Memorandum Of Understanding” with the ministry of health Alex Larsen, in order to reconstruct (and provide training) the Nurse faculty, that was completely destroyed, leaving 150 young student nurses dead under the stones …

An other project, signed by the minister with us, is the rehabilitation of the ancient ICU department of the university hospital (HUEH) into a plastic reconstructive and burn surgery department and the reorganization of the operating theatres of the public hospital. This will allow us to operate in much better conditions …

New teams are ready to leave soon in order to continue this marvellous bridge … this is the way ESPRAS and the European plastic surgeons can help and show their generosity and solidarity to the Haitian people …

If you want to help, to participate, or to give money … do not hesitate to contact us

Don’t forget them …

C. Echinard, chairman, espras.SHARE