As part of the Government's response to Hurricane Melissa, Dr. Sinal Bertrand, Minister of Public Health, began an assessment tour of the Great South on Wednesday, November 5.

Arriving by helicopter, the Minister was accompanied by the World Food Programme (WFP) team, UNICEF, Dr. Martial Bénèche, Director of the Expanded Program on Immunization, and several Ministry officials.

Upon arrival, he was greeted by Dr. Esther Céus-Dumond, Departmental Director of Health for Nippes, and her team, who accompanied the delegation throughout the first day of the tour.

The tour began with a debriefing session at the WFP regional office in Chalon, where the mission's timeline and response priorities were reviewed. The Minister then traveled to Petit-Goâve, one of the areas hardest hit by the torrential rains of Cyclone Melissa.

There, the delegation visited the Municipal Emergency Operations Center before going to Notre-Dame Hospital in Petit-Goâve, headed by Dr. Fred Jasmin. Minister Sinal commended the leadership of the Medical Director and the hospital staff for their exemplary management of the influx of patients in distress following the disaster.

During his visit, six new letters of assignment were officially presented to bolster the medical staff, particularly in surgery, pediatrics, and other priority specialties, and to increase the hospital's capacity to respond to health emergencies.

Dr. Sinal then visited a shelter housing more than fifty displaced children. He praised the community's mobilization and confirmed that the Government would cover the medical and educational needs of these children.

He then met with several families of victims to express the State's support and reiterate the Ministry's commitment to providing psychological and medical assistance.

Upon returning to the Nippes department, Sinal visited the construction site of the administrative building for the Nippes Health Directorate (DSNI), where finishing and fencing work will resume soon. At the same site, he also inspected the area reserved for the departmental incinerator, construction of which is scheduled to begin very soon.

The Minister then visited the premises of the Cuban medical brigade supporting the DSNI, where he commended the exemplary collaboration between Cuban specialists and Haitian staff, particularly at Sainte-Thérèse Hospital in Miragoâne. The day concluded with a comprehensive evaluation of the hospital, where the Minister toured the maternity, pediatric, and emergency departments, expressing his satisfaction with the overall operation and the dedication of the teams on the ground.

As part of this tour, a convoy of food, hygiene, and sanitation kits was transported to Petit-Goâve with logistical support from the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the National Health Directorate (DSNI). Simultaneously, three trucks carrying medical supplies and emergency equipment were shipped from Port-au-Prince to the Grand Sud region to rapidly reinforce health infrastructure and prevent the risk of epidemics in the affected areas.

The Minister commended the remarkable leadership of the DSNI, which, from the very first hours of Tropical Cyclone Melissa, mobilized its resources to provide assistance to the population and support the West Department, particularly the neighboring city of Petit-Goâve.

Late in the evening, Dr. Sinal Bertrand left Miragoâne for the South and Grand'Anse departments, where he will continue his tour over the weekend to assess and coordinate post-Melissa health interventions.

HL/ HaitiLibre