Haiti’s Natural Disasters and AAMMR, Inc.

I usually only blog on trips, updates, but I feel compelled to write regarding Haiti’s most recent natural disaster, Hurricane Matthew. Many of you have probably seen this in the news and many realize that there was wide spread destruction and loss of life. There has been an outpouring of support. However, we have already seen the news cycle move on, and what gets lost is the sheer number of disasters that have befallen a land mass the size of Massachusetts. Hurricane Matthew is only the most recent, but if you are like most, we have short memories regarding Haiti. Many may think, “Oh yeah, there was an earthquake and…”, but the number of events is lost. It’s old news as soon as the TV coverage moves on. It’s no one’s fault, our attention is pulled in a million different directions. Life catches up and moves on, with the next brief “Haiti pause” to come when another tragedy strikes. Below are just a few numbers that give an idea of this point. By no means is this comprehensive and it is a mere glimpse of the issues.

Since 1980 alone, only a span of about 35 yours, there have been 17 years that have contained at least 1 event deemed a “natural disaster”, and many of those years had multiple events. In 2005, for example, Haiti was struck by two hurricanes and one tropical storm. In fact, in that 35 year span, the time between the earthquake in 2010 and Hurricane Matthew this year, marks the longest period between events called natural disasters. This data doesn’t take into account disease outbreaks like cholera or chikungunya, which claim more lives and cause more suffering in many cases than the events themselves.

So, what’s the big deal, natural disasters occur all the time all over the world and countries recover. Right? Sort of, and in the right conditions. To put things in perspective, 10 years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still recovering. Most resources cite a major city taking 20 years after an event like Katrina to recover. The difference? That’s the United States, a super power with seemingly limitless resources. Granted, history will argue as to whether the federal response to Katrina was adequate, but the point is a major US city has not recovered to its predisaster state after 10 years. Now imagine a nation like Haiti. Nine million people, most living on a $1 a day, a central government so corrupt that the UN and other nations feel the need to “nanny” at every opportunity. There is no healthcare to speak of, no economy, no industry, and a a people that are educationally impoverished. They have to rely on outside help to rebuild. There aren’t the resources in country to even make a dent. Further, New Orleans has had 10 relatively disaster free years to work on recovery. Haiti hasn’t had that break. So, the damage, disease, the destruction has been compounded. Destroyed villages without the resources to rebuild are ravaged by disease and then redecimated by another disaster. It is a never ending cycle that just seems to be accelerating.

I really don’t think one can understand without seeing it firsthand or at least talking to others they know that have. One of the most traumatic times in my life was a trip to Haiti for earthquake relief. In a country that every trip has some degree of unease just due to its natural state, a trip driving into a disaster zone adds a whole new level of anxiety. It’s difficult to explain and talk about, and that’s not the point of this writing.

I guess my overarching point is that we can’t forget Haiti. We will, though, as a nation that is what we do. We move on to the next story and all the while, the Haitians dig out and await the next blow. Will it be a hurricane? Earthquake? Likely now it will be disease. It’s what happens. It’s how it goes until next time. People will die, children will be orphaned and we will squander our attention on whatever celebrity divorce is in the news or whatever Clinton/Trump scandal rules the day. Speaking of the Clintons, their history with Haiti is interesting and worth a Google search.

To end, because I will go on forever if I don’t, remember Haiti. Consider giving if so moved. www.aammr.org is of course what I recommend, as we can guarantee the money goes to Haiti. The money goes to people we know and work shoulder to shoulder with. It goes to people and not a nebulous organization that may have a presence in other countries. If you are so moved to give, visit our website, follow us on Twitter @AvekMed, like us on Facebook, email us at aammrinc@icloud.com. We love Haiti, we love the people, and we guarantee all of your support of AAMMR, Inc. translates to support for Haiti.

Warmest regards,

Ryan Venis, MD
Founder AAMMR, Inc.