Mobile Clinics, and Camps

"These pills are for when your chest gives you acid."
"Drink this when your back hurts"
"Here is aspirin for everything that makes you feel bad."

Mobile Clinic. Or rather, a public bus to Port au Prince, with a marchan lady standing in front selling treatment for all things that make us feel bad.

Just another innovative point of care. Who needs our pharmacy?

Robenson and I took the bus to Portail Leogane and searched awhile for places to make cheaper hospital record photocopies (no dice). The congenial craziness of this combined bus stop and market area: life as if January 12 had just been a day. Except that the stadium across the road houses one of the country's largest IDP camps. And as we walked up Champ Mars to catch a tap-tap, we passed on along more camps...right in front of the palace. "Oh man, it's the first time I've seen this," Robenson said as he stopped to take a cellphone photo.

We then went to the "Log Base," where the UN runs its logistics, where major agencies have their national offices, and where expats meet for cheeseburgers. Had lunch with Joe from the ND Kroc Institute, now serving as country director of American Refugee Committee. Great idea-generating discussion, with some concrete action items. Ready, go.

Joe took us to a camp that ARC manages, called Terrain Acra--named so because near the factory run by a Haitian bourgeois, Monseiur Acra, who once wanted to collaborate with ND on fortified salt efforts. But by its proximity to a factory, it receives acid run-off. And sits in a floodplain. "We've got to get these people out before the heavy rains or this will all be gone," Joe echoed Sean Penn.

Finally to the airport to meet the new team. All people, all luggage arrived safe & well.

Good day.