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Newsroom Occupational therapists lend a helping hand in Haiti posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 February 23, 2010 (Ottawa, ON) - Nova Scotia based occupational therapist, Ruth Duggan, was part of an emergency response team assembled by Handicap International in support of the rehabilitation efforts in Port au Prince, Haiti after a devastating earthquake hit in January 2010. Ms. Duggan, along with four other members from varying health disciplines, recently travelled to Haiti to conduct an assessment of the rehabilitation needs for the future and what resources would be needed to ensure the health care needs of the population are met. Ms. Duggan is a committed member of Team Canada Healing Hands (TCHH), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the provision of rehabilitative education, training, and care in areas of need. Healing Hands is comprised of medical professionals who volunteer their time to care for those in need. Ms. Duggan is no stranger to the city of Port au Prince and has spent much time in the past providing outreach services in the form of education and training to therapy technicians in the Healing Hands clinic, and to caregivers in a number of orphanages. “I have spent a number of years working with TCHH in Haiti and have not only a professional investment, but an emotional one as well,” she says. “It was quite devastating for us to learn of the earthquake and news that our clinic had been seriously damaged.” Currently, efforts are being put forth to ensure all usable items from the TCHH clinic are recovered and issued to those who will be needing them for recovery. Ms. Duggan and members from TCHH continue to work diligently to assess Haiti’s rehabilitation needs, which is more important than ever with hundreds of persons with new disabilities from amputations or spinal cord injuries. “We will be seeing a large influx in amputees and spinal cord injury patients, but will still have to manage stroke patients and children with cerebral palsy, which have been a long-term issue in Haiti,” says Ms. Duggan. “The earthquake has made every resource, physical and human, essential and we have even begun training community health workers to help with the recovery efforts to ensure we reach as many people as possible.” Ms. Duggan also spent some of her time during her recent visit providing education to the community health workers about psycho social issues and relaxation strategies as a means to alleviate stress levels. Other strategies to alleviate stress included educating the community on what is being done to speed recovery. “At this stage we are most interested in assessing the health needs of those injured and finding out where they are being taken for care, and if they have a home to return to,” says Ms. Duggan. “We need to ensure proper follow through is conducted for their rehabilitation needs, which makes knowing their location a necessity. “ TCHH is collecting names of potential volunteers to assist with the rehabilitation efforts, and is accepting donations in the form of equipment and financial gifts. To learn more about how you can help, please click here. For more information, please contact: |