Dear friends,
As Chief of Internal Medicine, I have seen many tough cases in my seven years at HAS. This has certainly been my experience with COVID-19 patients this year.
The stigma associated with COVID-19 has been a major issue, especially at the onset. No one understood what it was – people ignored it and would hide if they were exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. This meant that many patients waited to seek medical care until they were extremely sick. By the time they arrived at our doors, they were in a serious state due to further complications caused by the virus.
Our medical team has had to act quickly to save these patients, especially the ones with respiratory issues. We give them oxygen and isolate them in our COVID-19 unit. Together with my fellow doctors and nurses, we give them the best care possible and do everything in our means to help them recover. And with time, education and counseling, the stigma has lessened.
I am pleased to say that at this point in time we have treated nearly 100 patients and had just nine COVID-19 fatalities at the hospital.
Treating COVID-19 has stretched our staff and resources as far as they will go. HAS was the first hospital in the area to take on COVID-19 cases. Government health centers and other hospitals frequently refer patients to us, and the added staff and protective equipment for COVID care is costly.
All the while, during this pandemic, babies continue to be born, chronically ill patients need treatment, and emergencies still happen.
Every day our outpatient observation room is full.
In spite of these challenges, I think we have done our very best and this answers to HAS’ mission – caring for every patient with a reverence for life.
You are an integral part of this mission, directly impacting the lives of the people we serve.
Your generosity ensures we can continue providing lifesaving medical care, while confronting the challenges of COVID-19.
Thanks to you, we will continue to save lives and give hope to so many.
Sincerely,
Dr. Judith Narcisse
Chief of Internal Medicine
P.S. COVID-19 is making it more difficult than ever to meet the healthcare demands of our growing population. Please send a gift today to help ensure every person has access to lifesaving care who needs it.