While we are preparing holiday menu, getting presents and worrying how to sleep our guests coming for Christmas ;), three young MDs Ania Szaciłło, Jarek Korzybski and Łukasz Jaworski will spend Christmas in Haitian province, where they are struggling with cholera outbreak.

- We don’t even dream about some typical Polish Christmas dishes such as ‘pierogi’ (dumplings), beetroot soup or fish – Ania Szaciłło, a 26-year-old doctor, smiles.

She arrived in Hopital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti, in mid November.

– Anyway, we’ll make some ‘kutia’ as we have poppy seeds, and Helen, an American doctor, promised to bake a pumpkin pie for the Christmas supper – she adds.

Ania did not go alone – she’s in Deschapelles with her husband, Lukas, and their best friend, Jarek, both aged the same as she is. In July, when they first met Nina Hałabuz from Poland-Haiti Foundation and started to look for a hospital in Haiti eager to use their skills and enthusiasm, they had no idea it would mean spending Christmas at the epicenter of cholera.

Epidemic broke out three weeks before their departure, and has so far taken over 2,000 victims (according to official statistics, though the UN says that real number can be even twice as high).

- Our parents were terrified, but we felt that now our work is even more needed- says Jarek Korzybski.

Both he and Lukas came straight to the newly established choleric department, Anne initially landed at pediatrics, but as of the number of patients with cholera rocketed, she joined the boys.

Albert Schweitzer’s  Hospital, where they work, is one of the best medical facilities in Haiti. Created in 1956 by  an American couple, Larry and Gwen Mellon in place of former banana plantation, within the past 50 years has been surrounded by a campus, 6 regional medical centers, schools and agricultural projects. Medical staff comes from the United States, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland. Unfortunately, recently the hospital has been suffering from constant shortage of hands to work as after the January’s earthquake population of Artibonite Valley served by Hopital Albert Schweitzer, increased from 300 to 450 thousand (Artibonite wasn’t hit by seismic, but hundreds of thousands of people from south moved there in search of new shelter).

After weeks of intensive work Anna, Jarek and Lukas admit they’re getting tired.

Not very surprising, considering their daily routine. They get up at 6.00 am, take a cold shower, get breakfast and at 7.00 am start visiting patients. They check the sick, write off those who recovered, give injections to those, whose condition worsened, attend the newcomers. At 11.30 they take a break for lunch and go back to the hospital at 1 pm. Then they  work until 6 pm, have dinner, and go back to work. If they have an easy day, they are free at 9 pm. If it’s their shift to be on call, they need to work until 11 pm. What they found most surprising? - First, it turns out that cholera is a disease "pleasant" to treat – patients, even those in very serious condition, can recover within 3-4 days. Unfortunately, many arrive at the hospital in a very late stage of the disease, simply because they are ashamed of their symptoms - says Jarek. He emphasizes that patients are extremely grateful for the care they are getting.

Before departing to Haiti, Ania, Jarek and Lukas intensively studied Creole. With this base, it took them only 3 days to learn how to interview cholera patients and they are able to diagnose the disease on their own. - Our Creol is still far from perfect, but we are able to communicate with Haitian patients and staff. What a great difference it makes we realized a few days ago. There is a new American doctor, who doesn’t speak neither Creol nor French. His education and experience don’t matter, he – unfortunately – turns completely self-reliant  - says Anna.

Ania Szaciłło, Jarek Korzybski and Łukasz Jarworski are to stay in Haiti until January 23rd.

You may share their experience by visiting their blog: www.zpolskinahaiti.blox.pl

Nina Halabuz, Polska-Haiti Foundation