Following are a variety of communications from US Section President Dr. Jay Bachicha to the Fellowship.
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August 25, 2010
Dear Fellow:
I am happy to submit for your review the list of candidates for international office for the term to commence January 1, 2011, and ending on December 31, 2012, that has been decided by the ICS International Nominating Committee. This slate of candidates will be voted upon at the XXXVII ICS World Biennial Congress in Manila, Philippines, November 18. In addition to the drama and politics of international elections, the meeting will also be a forum for updates in topics of clinical relevance to any practicing surgeon. If possible, please make plans to join others of the US Section for a spirited and stimulating meeting in a gracious and hospitable environment. For more details on the venue and on how to register for this meeting, please see the US Section website or contact Nick Rebel at the home office in Chicago or me through this email address.
I look forward to seeing you in Manila.
Warm regards,
Jay Bachicha MD FICS FACOG FACS
President, United States Section
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July 26, 2010
Dear Colleague:
It gives me great pleasure to announce that, after considerable negotiations, I have secured a time and location for an ICS US Section sponsored Surgical Mission to Haiti. This mission will take place between October 3-17, 2010, and the site will be at the Adventist Hospital in Port au Prince. There is a special need for orthopedic surgeons, OR nurses, anesthesia and possibly general surgery. Surgeons of other specialties are also welcome to apply. I will discuss with my contact at Adventist how surgeons from other specialty areas may contribute to this effort.
Living arrangements will be spartan, cots in one of the hospital wings, but possibly in tents and, of course, we are expected to self fund our travels. As I learn more I will provide more information to those who are interested in serving during this time. At present, this is simply a call for volunteers so that we may know who is interested in serving the people of Haiti through this mission.
Please forward your replies to me and to Nick Rebel as soon as possible.
Warm regards,
Jay Bachicha MD FICS FACOG FACS
President, United States Section
International College of Surgeons
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July 23, 2010
Dear Fellows:
It gives me great pleasure to share with you the following slate of candidates from the US Section who have expressed interest in positions with the world body. This slate is the result of careful, open and fair deliberations and I am happy to say that this slate was chosen unanimously by the leadership of the US Section. We will go into these elections as a unified and strong national section.
This list of candidates, along with those lists provided by other national sections, will be reviewed by the International Nominating Committee. That Committee will make suitable adjustments and a final slate of candidates for election will be presented to delegates and voted upon at the International College of Surgeons meeting in Manila, Philippines, November 18-21.
First Vice President - Phyllis Bleck MD
Dr. Bleck has served in numerous US Section positions, including President, and has served faithfully as a member of the International Council and world body leadership for several years. Her insight into the workings of the international body makes her extremely well qualified to lead as First Vice President and the US Section is proud to support her in this position.
Corporate Secretary - Adib Sabbagh, MD
Dr. Sabbagh is not only a distinguished surgeon and former US Section President who has filled other US Section positions; he has also been a valuable member of the International Council through his service as a Member At Large. It is because of his superior record of service and the fact that he is intimately familiar with the workings of the International Body that the US Section is unanimously in support of his candidacy for this position.
Treasurer - Enrico Nicolo, MD
Dr. Nicolo has served most recently as North American Federation Secretary and the US Section is proud to support him for the position of Treasurer. He brings with him great experience as US Section President and other US Section positions as well as his experience with the international body. The US section supports him unanimously for this position.
North American Federation Secretary - Wickii Vigneswaran, MD
Dr. Vigneswaran is the Immediate Past President of the US Section where he helped re-emphasize the Section's role in international missions. He has served in other US Section positions and has great interest in working to return the North American Federation to its natural prominence. He has served as both a governor and vice president of the world body. The US Section is proud to support him for this position.
Member at Large - Joseph Bachicha, MD
Dr. Bachicha is the current President of the US Section where he has helped revitalize the Section's Continuing Medical Education program with special attention to its role as a major national resource for international surgical missions. He has also helped broaden the focus of international surgical missions to include disaster relief in areas such as Haiti. A former world governor and world vice president, he is interested in serving on the international council and executive committee. The US Section is proud to support him for a position as a Member at Large.
Member at Large - Vijay Mittal, MD
Dr. Mittal is a former President of the US Section and he has expressed great interest in broadening his service to the College at the international level. He has held many important US Section positions and he has served as a governor of the world body. By introducing residents to the US Section he has broadened its membership base considerably. The US enthusiastically supports him for a position as Member at Large.
Member at Large - Dinesh Ranjan, MD
Dr. Ranjan is the current President Elect of the US Section and he will take office as President on January 1, 2011. Dr. Ranjan has special interest in the College journal, International Surgery, and represents the US Section to this important publication as US Coordinator. He has served in several US Section positions and as a world governor and vice president. The US Section is proud to support him for the position of Member at Large.
The following US Section Fellows wish to be considered for the position of Vice President with the international body and the US Section is proud to support them for this:
Maxime Coles, MD
Roque Ramirez, MD
Sibu Saha, MD
Gazi Zibari, MD
The following US Section Fellows wish to be considered for the position of Governor with the international body and they have the enthusiastic support of the US Section in this:
Ari Halldorsson, MD
Larry Sasaki, MD
Uretz Oliphant, MD
Arno Roscher, MD
Antoine Jumelle, MD
Anthony Dardano, Jr., MD
Francis Podbielski, MD
Manoucher Afshari, MD
Sivamainthan Vithiananthan, MD
Thavam C. Thambi-Pillai, MD
These individuals represent outstanding talent and the dedication of the US Section to the success of the International College of Surgeons. As the largest national section, we are aware of the important role the US Section has in the International College and we are also aware of the responsibility this prominence places upon us. The individuals named above represent a wealth of expertise and I am very happy to have presented this outstanding list of candidates for the upcoming elections in Manila to our World President Professor Christopher Chen and the International Nominating Committee.
Each candidate has the strong and unanimous support of the US Section and you should be proud of them and the collective leadership and accomplishment that they represent. Please support them to the best of your ability, including coming to the world Congress if at all possible.
Respectfully submitted,
Jay Bachicha, MD, FICS FACOG FACS
President, United States Section
International College of Surgeons
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May 28, 2010
Dear Fellows:
I write here with further information regarding the upcoming elections to the ICS International Governing Body. This information follows on that sent by me earlier this month. I request that all nominations be submitted to me and Nick Rebel by June 11. After that, the US Executive Committee will discuss and prepare the final slate. The World Body is asking that all recommendation be sent to ICS Headquarters by July 15. I wish to have all US nominations settled before this and, at latest, by July 14, as I stated previously.
Please review the links below to related documents very carefully. They give specific instructions for how each potential candidate must proceed, especially regarding the need for a customized CV from each candidate that must be submitted to the World Body at the time that their nomination is submitted by the Section. Also included in the links below is a listing of current international officers and their eligibility for re-election to the same position.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact me or Nick as soon as possible.
Jay Bachicha, MD, FICS
President, United States Section
International College of Surgeons
Positions available for 2011
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May 20, 2010
Dear Fellow,
It gives me great pleasure to announce details regarding the 38th ICS World Congress that will be held in Manila, Philippines, November 19-21, 2010. The theme of the meeting is "ICS Moving Forward: Globally Competitive, Locally Responsive". The venue will be the Diamond Hotel, Roxas Blvd. corner Dr. Quintos Street in Manila.
The overall Chair of this Congress is Jesus C. Sison Jr., MD, FICS, Vice-President of the Philippine Section of the ICS. Abstracts for Free Paper Presentations are being accepted now by email at ics_philsec@yahoo.com.ph and by post at PMA Bldg. Room 108, North Avenue, Quezon City 1100, Philippines, that should include two hard copies of your abstract and a DC-ROM in MS-Word. Further details regarding abstract submission are listed below in the addendum.
Registration for the meeting for US delegates costs US$300 before September 19, 2010, and US$400 on site. Accompanying guest fees are $150 per person.
Pre-registrants can pay in US dollars by wiring or bank transfer to the following banks:
Bank of the Philippine Islands, SM North EDSA Branch, SM City Complex, Pag-Asa, Quezon City 1100, Philippines, tel. nos. (632)922-4370, 922-4341, or 922-4342. Routing number 021000021, Swift Code: B0PIPHMM, Acct no. 004434-0183-45, Account name: International College of Surgeons-Philippine Section World Congress 2010. Company address: Room 108 PMA Bldg, North Ave, Diliman, Quezon City 1100, Philippines
Maybank, Tomas Morato Branch, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, Philippines, Account name: International College of Surgeons Philippine Section, Account n.:01-721-00-0042-3, Swift Code: MBBEPHMMXXX.
Further details will be forthcoming from Max Downham and the ICS International World Body regarding alternative methods of registration and payment.
A very important agenda item at this meeting will the election of officers for the ICS International Governing Body. The following are positions that will be voted upon at the Board of Governors meeting to be held on Thursday November 18, 2010, in Manila and for which the Nominating Committee of the International Body invites recommendations from all National Sections, including our own:
International Executive Council
-- President Elect
-- First Vice President
-- Corporate Secretary
-- Treasurer
-- African Federation Secretary
-- Asian Federation Secretary
-- European Federation Secretary
-- Latin American Federation Secretary
-- North American Federation Secretary
-- Pacific Federation Secretary
-- Three Additional members (2011-2014)
16 Vice Presidents
30 Additional Governors
For any US Fellow interested in one of these positions, please convey your interest to me and to Nick Rebel at the Chicago office by Friday June 11, 2010. I am aware of several Fellows who have put forth interest in several positions and there will be more. Understand that expressing interest in a position does not guarantee placement of your name in that position on the slate that the US Section will forward to the International Nominating Committee for its consideration. Above all, I wish the choices on the slate to reflect a fair and open process with the goals of 1) creating a unified US position going into the elections and 2) electing the most US Fellows to international positions that is possible.
After June 11, I will send further information regarding nominations and the selection process via email and we will also hold conference calls as part of the creation of a unified, electable US Section slate. I wish to present our slate of nominees to the Nominating Committee of the International Governing Body by July 14.
Further information regarding the 38th World Congress will be forthcoming from both the US Section and from the International Body. Please check the US Section and International Body websites frequently for updates.
I look forward to seeing you in Manila!
Warmest regards,
Jay Bachicha MD FICS
President, US Section
International College of Surgeons
Addendum
Abstract Submissions:
1. Abstracts must be typed and presented in English.
2. Use single spacing with font type Times New Roman size 12 and full justification
3. The abstract must be written in 300 words or less including title, name(s) of authors and institutions.
4. The title of the abstract must be typed in CAPITAL LETTERS with the exception of scientific names, which should be in upper or lower case forms and italicized.
5. The presenting author's name must be listed first and underlined, followed by the co-authors, if any.
6. The presenting author's name, institution, address, telephone and fax numbers and email address must be provided.
7. The submitted abstracts must contain the following:
- Introduction/Objectives - state the main objective of the study or hypotheses tested.
- Materials and Methods - briefly discuss the design of the study and how it was conducted, indicating sampling and inclusion criteria, sample size, laboratory procedures, duration of observations, etc.
- Results - present the main results with an indication of variability and precision of comparisons, where appropriate
- Conclusion - limit the conclusions to those that are directly supported by the results. Implications and generalizations may be outlined briefly.
8. In submitting the abstracts, the author(s) also grant the 38th World Congress of the International College of Surgeons the right to publish abstracts in the proceedings both in hard copy or electronic form. 9. Deadline of abstract submission to be announced.
10. The abstract presenters will be notified of acceptance or rejection at a time to be announced.
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May 17, 2010
Dear ICS Colleague,
At the recent Annual Meeting in Denver much discussion was held regarding the position of the American Medical Association regarding its support of recently passed health care reform legislation. We have official representation in the AMA House of Delegates and it is important that all US Section Fellows be aware of pertinent issues in the house of medicine where the AMA acts. The information below is provided courtesy of Dr. Frank Bongiorno, Chair of the US Section AMA Committee.
Jay Bachicha, MD, FICS
ICS-US Section President
General AMA news
This hour-long program is the first in a series of AMA webinars exploring a number of key provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care Education Affordability Reconciliation Act. The series is designed to provide physicians with the information they need to better understand the health system reform legislation and what it means to them and their patients.
The opening webinar will cover:
- Medicare payment changes
- Administrative simplification
- Employer subsidies to offer coverage
- Medical liability protection grants
- Preventive and screening benefit expansions
- Quality improvement provisions
- Medicare prescription drug coverage
There will also be an opportunity for questions from the audience.
2) Your voice needed in SGR survey
Please take a
short survey designed by the AMA to determine how threatened cuts to Medicare physician payments and instability in the Medicare program are affecting physician practices. Results from the survey, which should take only two to three minutes to complete, will be used in advocacy efforts to reform Medicare's current physician payment formula. The survey will be open through the close of business May 21.
Earlier this week, the AMA
unveiled an ad aimed directly at lawmakers that calls on Congress to fix the flawed Medicare physician payment formula now and emphasizes that more delays of permanent reform increase the cost for taxpayers. The ad is scheduled to appear in three Capitol Hill publications through the end of May.
3) AMA announces support for Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act
This week the AMA
announced its support for the Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act, also known as H.R. 5295. Introduced by Reps. John Sullivan, R-Okla., and David Scott, D-Ga., this legislation will ensure that all health care professionals fully and accurately inform patients of their qualifications and training. The bill also will help alleviate patient confusion over who is a medical doctor and who is not.
"Patients deserve to know who is providing their care, and the Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act will help empower them with the knowledge they need to make an informed decision about who delivers their medical care," AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, said.
4) On KevinMD.com: AMA president points to legal victory for fair pay from insurers
In a guest column on physician blog
KevinMD.com, AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, chronicles the record-breaking settlement reached last January in a historic court challenge led by the AMA against UnitedHealth Group. Under the settlement's terms, UnitedHealth will pay $350 million to help compensate physicians and patients for 15 years of artificially low payments for out-of-network services.
The podcast is a recording of an educational session by the AMA Council on Long Range Planning and Development held during the 2009 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. During the session, representatives of the Australian Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the Taiwan Medical Association discussed the roles of their respective organizations when universal coverage was implemented in their countries.
6) In American Medical News: Medicare fraud risk created by billing loophole
A temporary rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that allows equipment claims to be processed without national provider identifiers from referring physicians represents a potential risk, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG). A story by
American Medical News examines the OIG report, which recommends that CMS end the practice. However, suppliers believe the temporary rule helps facilitate payments,
American Medical News reports.
View a video recap of the study in
QuickTime.
From the AMA president - J. James Rohack, MD
A unique role in health care: We all have one
Physicians and patients in Oregon received good news last month when their governor vetoed legislation that would have allowed psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medication. Without the veto, Oregon would have become the third state to give prescribing authority to psychologists.
There's no doubt that nonphysician health care providers play an integral role in the delivery of health care in the United States. For our nation's health care system to work at its highest levels, all health care professionals must work together, with each playing the role they have been educated and trained to play. As many of you know, however, there continue to be overly aggressive attempts by some groups to perform services outside of their education and training. This is the point when the threat of health and safety falls upon the patients.
The case in Oregon is just one example of
scope-of-practice issues happening all over the country. And it's one instance of many where organized medicine has worked together to ensure that legislators—and governors—know the stakes about inappropriate scope-of-practice efforts. By working together, the AMA and organized medicine have been able to secure quite a few victories for patients.
Alaska defeated a bill that would have allowed naturopaths prescriptive authority. West Virginia clinched a victory over a bill that gave optometrists the ability to perform laser surgeries. Alabama was able to prevent expanded podiatric scope of practice beyond the foot. Wyoming ensured that a lay midwifery licensure bill has strict patient protection provisions. And that's just a snapshot.
It's important to note that every one of these wins I've mentioned has been a shared effort among state societies, medical specialty societies and the AMA. The
AMA Advocacy Resource Center (ARC) has been tracking more than 300 of these cases in 38 different states on every type of nonphysician provider scope-of-practice legislation since the beginning of this year.
ARC staff and the Scope of Practice Partnership (SOPP)—a collaboration comprised of more than 80 state and medical specialty organizations to help address such issues at the state level—are monitoring what happens and acting on it daily from coast to coast.
In addition to providing background information on particular cases to state legislators, they help people like you reach out to your legislative colleagues. ARC staff collaborate regularly with their state and specialty counterparts to provide legislative analysis, develop communications and advocacy resources, and convene the SOPP so you have the needed influence of thousands of advocates on your side. All you have to do is ask.
But quite possibly its most important undertaking is developing the necessary tools and resources specific to your own state to help make your case when attempting to defeat inappropriate bills. And if the ARC doesn't have the right resources at the time you request them, its staff will take the time to create them and make sure you're fully equipped.
Among its wide array of offerings, the ARC's
Geographic Mapping Initiative and Scope of Practice Data Series modules rank at the top in terms of effectiveness. The AMA GeoMapping initiative compares the true geographic distribution of all health care professionals in a particular state—both the locations of practicing physicians and nonphysicians. So when a nonphysician group claims that they provide all of the rural care in a state, one look at the GeoMap shows that physicians and nonphysicians tend to practice in the same large, urban areas.
But the qualifications of each professional can get a little confusing at times. That's why the AMA created 10 Scope of Practice Data Series modules to closely examine the education, training and licensure of each particular health care profession. These tools are available for use in legislative and regulatory advocacy today.
There are clear differences between a physician and a nonphysician provider when it comes to education, training and licensure. We can't do our jobs if everyone else doesn't do theirs. The wonderful part is that everyone has a role—a unique role, I might add—to play. And when everyone works together, our patients reap the benefits.
J. James Rohack, MD
Please send comments, questions and replies to amaprez@ama-assn.org.
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April 10, 2010
Dear ICS Fellow,
Please allow me this opportunity to update you on current Section events.
First – ICSUS Fellow and Past President, Dr. Sibu Saha, has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cancer Therapy (JCT). JCT is a new international journal dedicated to the latest advancements of cancer therapy. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for doctors and academicians worldwide to promote, share, and discuss various new issues and developments in cancer related problems. All manuscripts must be prepared in English and are subject to a rigorous peer-review process. Accepted papers will immediately appear online followed by printed hard copy. The journal publishes original papers including, but not limited to, the following fields:
Latest technology in cancer detection and treatment
Target identification and validation
Cancer treatment integrated medicine
Scientific advances in prevention and diagnosis
Principles of cancer biology
Cancer genes and genomics
Biomarkers discovery
Cancer etiology
Pharmaceutical and medical therapy development
The editors are interested in: 1) Short reports — 2-5 page papers where an author can present either preliminary data or an idea with theoretical background where the research needed for a final paper has not yet been completed; 2) Book reviews — Comments and critiques.
Those ICS Fellows interested in submitting papers or being considered for a position on the editorial board should contact the Journal via email at jct@scirp.org or visit http://www.scirp.org/journal/jct to learn more about the JCT and view a copy of the first issue.
Second – Don’t forget that the Annual Meeting in Denver is just a few weeks away. Early registration discounts will expire soon so register today. Register securely through FICS Online by clicking this link https://www.ficsonline.org/i4a/forms/form.cfm?id=9&pageid=3337&showTitle=1
I look forward to seeing you in Denver next month.
Jay Bachicha, MD
ICSUS President
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April 3, 2010
Dear ICS Colleague:
As we make final preparations for our Annual Surgical Update in Denver it is appropriate to reflect on what has been accomplished in the past 3 months and to review future directions.
All of us have been riveted by events in Haiti, a disaster of unimaginable impact on the people of that country. Several ICS Fellows have been fortunate enough to contribute to relief efforts there, myself included, and you may have read my report on our website. You will hear details of these and other surgical missions in the Report to the Fellows session at the Annual Meeting the morning of Friday, May 7. Our Section will field a team to Haiti later this year and we will be using the experiences of those who have served thus far as a guide to how that team may best contribute to Haiti. Several US Section Fellows have volunteered for a Haiti mission and these will be the first people contacted as plans are developed. We have the support of the World Body leadership in this effort.
The US Section Executive Committee is working on developing protocols for use in disaster environments in the future and you will be kept informed of these guidelines as they unfold. Typical surgical missions can be planned months or weeks in advance and with the expectation that at least some services and infrastructure exist to help support the effort. Disaster care is unlike any other type of surgical care in that it deals with large numbers of injured in a setting where support services and personnel may be diminished or destroyed. A future goal is to position supplies and manpower in such a way that the US Section can contribute quickly and efficiently to relief efforts that emerge suddenly, without warning.
Since a primary focus of the College is surgical missions and service in austere environments, I encourage you to attend the opening session of the Annual Surgical Update. We will hear from experts in the field with wide experience in the planning, delivery and evaluation of surgical missions to needy environments, from war zones to disasters to economically and socially deprived areas of the world. It will be a fascinating day, a collaboration of groups and individuals that strengthens our Section as we link with others who share our mission of service.
The Annual Surgical Update will also present a wide array of programs and scientific papers designed to provide current and timely information on topics ranging from Surgical Options for End Stage Heart Disease to Minilaparotomy for Complex pelvic Surgery in Obese Women. As you explore the registration brochure, pay particular attention to the programs involving Surgical and Medical Ethics, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, HALS and Lap-Assisted Left Colectomy and FAST Vascular Access. A highlight of the scientific program will be the presentation of research efforts by residents and medical students with the best of these winning both recognition and cash prizes. Through the generosity of Dr. Arno Roscher, Dr. Guilherme Silva will discuss a promising treatment for myocardial infarction using stems cells, a truly revolutionary concept. Given the breadth of experience of our Fellows and the expertise they bring to the Annual Update, you will find much to learn and discuss at this meeting.
The social program for the meeting gives considerable variety as well and there are several US Section Alliance programs developed under the guidance of the Alliance President, Jim Fane. You and your family have a choice of many activities and the greatest problem may be deciding which to choose. Please remember that the Gala Dinner is our signature fund raising event and your presence there will help ensure its success. A corollary to the Gala Dinner as a fund raising event is the Silent Auction and if you find that there is a special piece of art, handiwork or other item that you would like to donate please inform Maggie Kearney at the home office in Chicago or Jim Fane. Of course, the success of the auction will be measured by which treasure you will buy and your generosity in support of the Section's operations and surgical missions is appreciated greatly.
Closer to home, you may have noted that the US Section ICS website has been redesigned to make it more user friendly and informative. A link to messages from the Section President has been created and you are invited to view the website often to keep track of College activities. By the time of the Annual Meeting you will also be able to go to the College Facebook and Twitter sites and follow activities there. The capability of technology to bring us closer together as a College is astounding and we will make full use of this as we expand our services and programs.
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February 23, 2010
I went to Haiti earlier this month as a member of a group put together by Dr. Hernando Garzon, an ED physician and the head of Kaiser's Global Outreach program. He is a featured speaker at our upcoming Surgical Update this May in Denver. He has worked with Relief International, a nonprofit devoted to disaster relief and healthcare in austere environments, which was the sponsor for the Haiti effort that I was part of. I served as the ICS liaison to this group and it is my hope that this initial contact will lead to more interaction between our organizations.
It's great to be back in the land of hot showers but I came home too soon and will go back later this year when I can. I left with a sense of much more that I could have done had I stayed at least a week or two more; I was just getting into the swing of things. I was actually getting used to electricity failures, no running water, bucket baths (stand in the shower with a 5 gallon bucket of water, pour cups of it over yourself, wash, rinse) and a limited menu (lots of spaghetti, rice and beans). We lived in a house in an area called Carrefour, a red zone where the UN did not venture (too dangerous) and on the grounds of the house, behind walls and a gate, were our medical tents where we saw patients. The house is owned by an American doc from Wisconsin who has lived in Haiti for over 30 years with her Haitian partner, a nurse. They were in the process of moving to a town in western Haiti before the quake to start a clinic and they continued that process after the quake. They rented to Relief International the house and grounds and Relief International will be there for some time until, eventually, a free standing base clinic can be found/built. Our group ranged between 12 to 20 with nurses and docs from various parts of the US coming and going at different times. Sleeping bags and mosquito nets were the rule. I saw all kinds of patients, many men, children women with medical complaints, several with surgical needs. Saw no gyn stuff really, did see some pregnant women and delivered 3 babies, two at a hospital that we formed a loose affiliation with a few miles away and one that barely made it to a Doctors Without Borders hospital nearby. That was wild: walked in, our group of me, patient, paramedic and a translator were pointed in a direction where the delivery area was, found it, asked if there were a doc or midwife (none came) so I did the delivery, beautiful baby girl, smiles all around, and left. Where else on earth could an unknown doc walk into a barely staffed hospital, deliver an unknown patient, and walk out without anyone asking what's up? If we hadn't made it to the hospital that baby would have been born in one of our medical tents, perhaps tent one, the fertility tent, where a dog with her new puppies had established herself.
We also went to a several sites in Port au Prince and vicinity where we did mobile clinics, usually areas near tent cities where there were no other non-government organizations providing care. We'd pitch our medical tent, see patients until we had to leave and do something similar in another location the next day. We had a curfew of 6:30pm meaning that if we were outside our compound we had to be in it again by that time. The UN had been called to Haiti in 2004 since the government was ineffective at curbing random gang violence that was terrorizing Port au Prince and they've been there since. The head of the UN mission in Haiti was killed in the quake, along with other UN peacekeepers. It was they who established the curfew and our group followed it; others did not. The first few days I was there we would walk outside the compound maybe a block or so in either direction. Our translators and drivers come from the neighborhood and a couple were raised in an orphanage not far that was badly damaged and they were our guides. One translator's house collapsed complelety with the family escaped but everything else lost. A neighbor family escaped, all but a 2 month old baby still under the rubble. The building next to the orphanage collapsed with 13 people inside and the smaller children were afraid of their ghosts and refused to go near the orphanage buildings; they lived in school buildings and tents just down the hill. Many stories like that. Our outside walks stopped when it was learned that we had become targets for kidnapping given our regular schedules. So, we only left in SUVs and generally in a convoy with at least 2 vehicles. I never felt unsafe, though, and am not sure about the kidnapping thing, though that was happening before the UN came.
Much destruction all around, everywhere you look. People are living in tents often even if their houses are standing, fearing collapse in another tremor. I did feel at least 4 aftershocks, all minor and similar to the little quakes we experience often in Northern California. A couple were strong enough to send some of our group fleeing outside and producing screaming from the tent encampment next door, along with lots of dog barking and rooster crowing. Roosters and dogs seemed to be everywhere and set up random racket through the night, leading to rather sleepless nights sometimes. I slept in the house, among the boxes of bandages and supplies, most others slept in tents in the yard and experienced rooster songs near their heads; all of us under mosquito nets.
The Haitian people have endured so much for so long that this latest calamity is only one of a long string, though certainly the worst in history. We hear numbers like 220,000 dead, as many injured, a million homeless, 70% of schools destroyed, numbers that are incomprehensible but are made real by individual people we see. There are the children with no parents, people with amputations and wounds coming for dressing changes, old people who've seen too much, happy and beautiful children with the whitest teeth I've ever seen, adults who are survivors of a tough environment that doesn't allow for laziness or complaining. People try to keep clean, living under a tarp on the street but still bathing with a bucket of water that's not so pure; possessions may be lost and destroyed but dignity thrives.
These are a religious people and God is not far away, a rock on which to depend during this time, not so much to question why but to thank for being alive and to help celebrate the memories of the lost. These are a remarkable people. Someone told me that you either loathe Haiti and can't wait to leave its heat, poverty and filth or you come to love it and its people and the spirit that drives them. I'm in the latter camp. I'll be back, to continue what's been started and to help where I can. I have much to teach and much more to learn and what better teachers?
There is certainly room for an ICS presence in Haiti, though now that the immediate disaster phase is over the need becomes one of meeting chronic medical and surgical needs. We will be working to field a surgical team for later this year and all Fellows who have expressed interest in service to Haiti will be called upon for assistance with this. I wish to coordinate this with the Haitian ICS Section if possible. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet with representatives of this group during this visit. I will keep our Fellows abreast of news regarding Haiti and Haiti surgical missions.
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February 3, 2010
Dear Haiti Relief Project Volunteers and All ICS fellows:
I want to thank you for your consideration of work to relieve the suffering in Haiti. The situation there is evolving rapidly and is transitioning from one requiring immediate disaster relief to one requiring longer term rebuilding and support of the Haitian health services sector. It is here that we in ICS might be of most use on future missions.
Please do no be discouraged if applications for service you might have made to various relief organizations have not been promptly acted upon. Your name will remain in those data bases and you may be called upon for future work. As noted in earlier communications, we in ICS will likely field a surgical mission team later in the year and others into the future and you will be kept abreast of developments here. Click on the links below for more pertinent information.
Jay Bachicha MD FICS
President, United States Section
International College of Surgeons
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January 29, 2010
Dear ICS Fellow:
I am writing here with an update on activities regarding the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. As you know, the ICS has been working to establish contacts with organizations equipped to deploy personnel and materials to Haiti. Relief work in Haiti is being done in the face of enormous logistical obstacles; anyone following news reports regarding Haiti is aware of these. Several Fellows have volunteered to go to Haiti and they have been sent information regarding contacts to accomplish this from both me and from Max Downham of the ICS World Body. The International College of Surgeons is the only surgical organization with official links to the World Health Organization and Max has intiated contacts that include the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Central and South American branch of WHO and more information about this can be found on our website.
One of our Fellows, Maxime Coles, has been to Haiti and returned safely. Please read his email on the website. It is expected that other Fellows will post information about their experiences as well.
I will be going to Haiti February 10 with Relief International; this organization is aware that ICS Fellows may apply for positions with them. Contact information for this group and others is noted below. Please also note that while, initially, ICS will combine surgical mission efforts with other organizations, we plan to send an ICS-only team to Haiti later in the year when the situation is more stable. The need in Haiti will persist for the foreseeable future and there will be many opportunities to help there.
For further information and updates, please visit our website at
www.ficsonline.org frequently. Information is updated every few days and this is the place to obtain the most recent information on ICS activities related to Haiti and on how you may serve there.
Please contact me if you have further questions or comments.
Jay Bachicha, MD, FICS
President, United States Section
International College of Surgeons
Independent Volunteer OpportunitiesListed below are some relief organizations currently active in Haiti. Physicians, nurses and employees who are trained in disaster relief and wish to register with these or other aid organizations should discuss requests for time off with their supervisors. For more details regarding employee-initiated leaves for disaster service, please see section 5.2 of the Leave for Disaster Service policy.
Partners In Health
Memo: 1/13: If you are a health professional interested in volunteering, please send an email to
volunteer@pih.org with information on your credentials, language capabilities (Haitian Creole or French desired), availability, and contact information. In particular, we need surgeons (especially trauma/orthopedic surgeons), ER doctors and nurses, and full surgical teams (including anesthesiologists, scrub and post-op nurses, and nurse anesthetists).
Relief International (RI) [ri.org]
RI is a humanitarian organization that meets the immediate needs of victims of natural disasters with provisions of food rations, clean water, non-food items, and medical services. RI has dispatched emergency response teams to Haiti to provide supplies and recovery services.
MedShare[medshare.org]
MedShare recovers and redistributes surpluses of medical supplies and equipment to those in need.The organization is actively raising money to send thousands of vitally needed medical supplies to Haiti to treat injured victims.
Operation USA[opusa.org]
Operation USA is an international relief agency that helps communities overcome the effects of disasters by providing privately funded aid. It is sending medical aid to Haiti in response to the earthquake.
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) [
doctorswithoutborders.org]
MSF is an international medical and humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by natural and man-made disasters. MSF is setting up an inflatable field hospital in Haiti to provide critical medical care to earthquake victims.
Up to date information about this disasterRelief Web
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc104?OpenForm&rc=2&cc=hti
Relief International
http://ri.org/
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/hac/crises/hti/en/index.html
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
http://www.ifrc.org/
CDC Health Recommendations for Relief Workers Responding to Disasters
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/relief-workers.aspx
Doctors Without Borders – Medecins Sans Frontieres
http://www.msf.org
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1/20/2010
Dear Fellows,
I have initiated dialog with an organization called Relief International (
www.ri.org) which has already placed a team on the ground in Haiti and will be sending more. My contact there is Enver Rahmanov and he tells me that ICS surgeons interested in working in Haiti are welcome to register with this organization. Doing so does not guarantee acceptance but this group is looking for medical workers, especially those with international emergency or other experience; French language skills will be a plus. Surgeons are in great demand, especially ortho and trauma but not confined to these areas. Ideally, the commitment would be for 3-4 weeks but shorter terms can be considered.
Please fill out and submit the following information to Enver at
enver@ri.org, together with your passport page, references, and a CV:
1) What is your availability: How soon can you be deployed to Haiti?
2) How long can you be deployed on this mission?
3) Can you provide any support towards your own airfare?
4) Do you have any international experience? Haiti? Knowledge of French or Creole?
5) Areas of expertise.
This group has extensive experience in disaster and emergency relief operations and our collaboration with them would be a boon to our ability to field surgical teams in the future. Please contact me if you have further questions.
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January 14, 2010
Dear Colleague:
You have no doubt heard of the disastrous earthquake that has affected our neighbor, Haiti. You should be aware that we have initiated contact with our World Body, with our own US Section Fellows that have Haitian backgrounds, and with organizations with missions similar to ours in order to determine how best the US Section can respond to the calls for medical and surgical assistance that are coming from Haiti. If you are interested in participating in an ICS sponsored mission, or if you are able to contribute in some other way, please contact me through Nick Rebel, our Executive Director at Chicago headquar
