OU-hCOM physicians, staff to provide medical care in Haiti

Will provide assistant at surviving hospital in
Port-au-Prince; donations sought

Several volunteer teams of staff, physicians, faculty members and alumni from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM) and its affiliated teaching hospitals plan to depart for Haiti later this month to provide medical care for survivors of last month’s devastating earthquake.

The Jan. 12 earthquake left thousands of survivors in need of lifesaving medical attention.

The volunteers from OU-HCOM and the Centers for Osteopathic Research and Education (CORE), in cooperation with DELTA Ministries International, will be stationed at Clinic Lilavois, a charity mission hospital in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. The initial focus will be to help the medical staff that is present, and to work on preparing the facility for full function. In subsequent weeks, additional volunteer groups from OU-HCOM and the CORE will travel to Haiti to continue to staff the clinic.

To watch an interview with a doctor who currently is there and see the building after the earthquake, go to http://coolchurchtech.typepad.com/haiti/2010/02/a-tour-of-the-clinic-at-lilavois.html.

Prior to the team’s departure, OU-HCOM is seeking contributions of medical supplies and monetary donations to help with the cost of purchasing those supplies and to defray the travel costs for the volunteers.

To assist the medical college’s efforts, contact Sharon Zimmerman, M.P.A., director of medical development, at 740-593-2176. Monetary donations, which are tax-deductible, can charged to MasterCard, Visa or American Express credit cards, or by check, payable to The Ohio University Foundation. Please write “Haiti Relief Fund” on the memo line, and sent to Zimmerman at Grosvenor Hall 205, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, Ohio 45701.

To donate medical supplies, contact David Drozek, D.O., at drozek@ohio.edu, or JoAnne Bray, MSN, at bray@ohio.edu or at 740-593-2513. Drozek, a surgeon and assistant professor of specialty medicine, and Bray are leading the initial OU-HCOM team.