Bill Rice Clinic

Our team of eleven felt God’s presence each morning as we joined the Haitian staff who started

each clinic day with the patients in the waiting room with beautiful singing and prayers together.

The home made nametags for all Bill Rice staff, students and visiting team helped all of us to get to

know each other.

The staff worked effectively together to provide intake and initial lab work. Four nursing students

from Anse-a-Galets assisted Ms. Dupont and Frankey as they taught the students intake

procedures. The lab tech, Macknel, performed dipstick urinalysis and glucose level on pregnant

women and others and other tests as indicated.

By day two, the team with Dr. Natalie Gregory, US nurses, Haitian midwives, Vilanna and Soisilia,

and two translators, Jean Louis and Noelvil, developed a system to support one another with

patient histories, labs, ultrasounds, exams, and education. Dr. Natalie examined 64 GYN and 53

pregnant patients for a total of 117 patients and performed ultrasounds on many of those while

teaching and mentoring. Dr. Faquita examined other adults and children and assisted all of us with

questions and concerns.

Two of the nurses with Noelvil taught adult CPR to six of the matrons, students, and some staff.

Frankye, clinic head nurse, assisted and taught matrons and patients infant CPR. The matrons

displayed a great interest in learning and each left with new delivery packs. Ms. Bellegarde and the

nursing staff learned how to care for the new mannequins in preparation for future classes.

Some of our team completed an inventory of medications in the pharmacy and helped the

pharmacist, Micheline, and Ms Bellegarde count pills, label containers, and clean out cabinets. We

gained a new appreciation of their task to keep up with the inventory each month with

medications stored in bottles, packages, and zip lock bags of different counts and expiration dates.

A team member and translator, Robens, completed the survey of Barriers to Health Care with 29

patients and made recommendations for revision to increase understanding of the questions.

Patients shared openly about their health experiences and often identified their main concern as

clean water. This team also fitted numerous patients and staff for glasses.

Frankye educated one of our team about the Bill Rice medical record, immunizations, and the

amazing Medica Mamba (“peanut butter medicine”) program. Thirty two children are in this

successful program and are gaining weight and energy!

On our final day in clinic, Ms Bellegarde, Frankye, Dr. Lapoint, and Jean Luis met with our

leadership team. We shared how impressed and amazed we were by the positive changes and

accomplishments at the Bill Rice Clinic during the past year under Dr. Lapoint’s leadership with the

assistance of Ms. Bellegarde and Frankye!

 Ms. Bellegarde showed us their electronic spreadsheet used to do a pharmacy inventory at

the end of each month and agreed to send a copy through Dr. Lapoint to Deb Griffin each

month and to add a list of supplies that are low so Deb can share this information with

visiting teams.

 They identified items that are needed for the clinic to provide improved care.

 They agreed that the greatest need is for a printer that is compatible with a HP laptop.

 For visiting teams to Bill Rice Clinic, they identified the greatest priority of physician

assistance is a Pediatrician and OB/GYN, then Internal Medicine, Dentist, Dermatologist,

and Optometrist/Ophthalmologist in that order.

Goat and Veterinary Clinics

Jean Tony with translator, Webster, and driver took our vet team to a different site each day

including Nouvelle Cite, Trou Jacques, market Du Marche, and Nan Mango. Dr. Jerry George and

Jean Tony with the team’s help learned much from one another as they examined, vaccinated,

and/or treated a total of 183 goats and 14 donkeys.

Dr. Jerry met with Dr. Lapoint and Macknel, to discuss lab tests needed for the animals. Both

agreed that these tests could be performed in the Bill Rice lab. On Thursday, our final day, Macknel

examined a stool sample and performed glucose level of a sick goat! Dr. Jerry taught him and Jean

Tony how to interpret the findings and the treatment indicated.

School at Nouvelle Cite

A team of four with Robens as translator visited the school at Nouvelle Cite. Accompanied by the

principal, they shared a different project in each classroom including hygiene coloring books and

designing cross necklaces and magic color necklaces with a total of 140 precious children and their

dedicated teachers.

Follow-Up with Pere Vil

Due to responsibilities on the mainland, high winds and seas and then a strike at the Anse-a-Galets

dock, Pere Vil was able to spend only one night in Anse-a-Galets. Claude provided excellent

oversight of our team. The ferry finally ran on Friday so we met with Pere Vil at the Kaliko Beach

Club to review our meaningful week.

Sue White