World Wide Med: Bringing Cholera Vaccine to Haiti

We experienced some issues with the technology used for data collection, though we did anticipate some problems. We had a team in United States and another in Haiti who were able to work together to respond quickly and effectively and resolve hardware, software, and Internet connection problems. The teams worked late nights to address those issues and to produce data reports, which allowed us to strategize our activities more effectively and efficiently. We also had a team on standby in our Saint-Marc office that could help locate the unique ID of a vaccine recipient in case the registrar in the field was unable to find the record on their tablet.

Another hurdle involved a group of farmers who we could not find during the daily vaccination periods because they were working late on their land. We sent some teams on later shifts, starting in the field in the afternoon and staying late into the evening in order to catch those recipients.

What are the plans for the vaccination program going forward?

We finished the vaccination campaign on June 19, 2012. We vaccinated more than 40,000 people. The next step is to evaluate the feasibility and the effectiveness of the project by assessing the operational activities, community acceptance, and cost effectiveness. We also are planning a case-control study. The vaccine already has been proven to be safe and effective.

What have you found most rewarding about your work on this program?

For me, the most rewarding part of this program was that we were able to deliver vaccine to this vulnerable population and protect them from this deadly disease. Ideally, this will help them maintain good health, so that they can continue to work and be productive to help their families survive. Seeing not only this population’s poor life conditions but also their acceptance of the vaccine inspired me and gave me more strength to continue the advocacy and the fight for a national scale-up vaccine campaign.

Think globally. Practice locally.

U.S.-trained internists who have practiced abroad will receive a $100 stipend for contributing to this column. For details, visit the World Wide Med column at www.internalmedicinenews.com or send an e-mail to imnews@elsevier.com.