Medical Horrors Earthquake Survivors Face

From Denny: From an American doctor's point of view here's the latest on the desperate medical situation in Port au Prince, Haiti. It's difficult for doctors, working without proper operating rooms, equipment and anesthesia. Instead, they have resorted to hardware store hacksaws they have sterilized with vodka and are operating in makeshift tents in the dirt streets full of dust and rubble. Even when successful in the amputation many will die for lack of follow up medical care. It's a desperate situation all around.

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Rescue workers and medical staffs are doing what they can for Haitians who are so seriously injured.

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What survivors are facing from crush injuries is the reality is there are over 70 required amputations a day now. The grim situation is that now a week has passed and the injured have received little or no medical attention until now. During that time the wounds became so infected that gangrene set in. When that happens the wounded area begins to die and if not amputated the poison can reach the blood stream and then kill the person. Tough decisions all around.

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Doctors Without Borders Work Without Meds, Logistics of Ferrying Supplies into Haiti

From Denny: Here's a summary of video clips of the ongoing medical situation in Haiti as the rush against time heightens trying to reach and treat people medically in time to save their lives before infection or disease takes its toll.

One thing is for sure, CNN reporter, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, deserves a humanitarian award for his work off camera with the Haitian survivors, often outnumbered by thousands to one doctor. He works with no hospital, no supplies to speak of and tries to monitor his patients' in the most primitive conditions. Like he said, "I'm a doctor first, a journalist second. I have to go now, will report later. New patients were just trucked in and I have to see what I can do for them." This man is a class act.

Haiti's few hospitals have all collapsed or been abandoned yet there are thousands of injured who need treatment.

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Daunting health problems lie ahead for the thousands who have survived the devastating earthquake:

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Haitian quake victims pour into The Dominican Republic while relief workers head off in the opposite direction hoping to get supplies through to Port au Prince:

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Logistical problems ferrying supplies into Haiti:



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