It took six weeks to get the ambulance out of customs, but a Charlotte ambulance was finally delivered to a Haitian hospital this week.
Members of Charlotte’s Haitian Heritage & Friends of Haiti delivered the ambulance to staffers at Justinien University Hospital in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. The ambulance with over 200,000 miles was formerly used by Mecklenburg county's emergency medical service department.
The Charlotte rescue team purchased the vehicle for $3,000 this spring as part of a county auction. It was transported by ship to Haiti in June, but got stuck in customs because of incomplete paperwork.
“What a bliss,” Dr. Jean Gracia, medical director of Justinien University Hospital, wrote in a thank you letter to the team and city of Charlotte. “...My staff and the patients are very grateful and lucky to have organizations like yours thinking about their well-being when they are most vulnerable. The quality of care has improved tremendously due to the newly received donations.”
Fort Mill paramedic Thomas Hall, a member of the Haitian Heritage & Friends of Haiti, will travel back to Haiti in the coming weeks to help train Justinien staff on how to use and operate the ambulance.
For more information about the Haitian Heritage & Friends of Haiti, or to help, visit hhfoh.org or contact sabinesg@hotmail.com.
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3 comments:
THREE DAYS & NO COMMENTS? WITHOUT THE RACE CARD FRANCO WOULD BE AMONG THE UNEMPLOYED!
Anon 8/22: since it's the haters who are missing, how is that a reflection on anyone but them?
"It was transported by ship to Haiti in June, but got stuck in customs because of incomplete paperwork."
I.e. had to figure out with offical had to be bribed. It is sad that over 60% of the emergency funds will never reach the people there. A UN report said the figure may be closer to 80% but i am hoping some world leaders will get involved and cut that back some. A friend of my daughter just got back from a mission trip there and she was telling us how bad it still is. Many places do not look like they have even been touched since the earthquake.
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