United Nations Radio

Yvonne Jean-Francois

Haitian American doctor Yvonne Jean-Francois normally works in the Bronx, New York. But since mid-January, she's been in Jimani, Dominican Republic on the border with Haiti. At the town's Bethel Baptist church, Jean-Francois has been coordinating a make-shift medical facility for hundreds of victims of the Haitian earthquake to recover after they've had surgery. Jean-Francois spoke to UNICEF Communication Officer Jennifer Bakody.

Bakody: What have you seen in the time that you've been here?

Jean-Francois: I've seen everything, things I've never seen before, things I had never thought I would ever see - amputations, fractures, very complicated fractures. We haven't had any deaths here but we have severe morbidity. Most of these patients, a good 90% of them are disabled. They're disabled - cause they have no access to medical care and they have no access to physical theraphy.

Bakody: What have you noticed about the children? What sticks with you about that?

Jean-Francois: the injuries, the injuries. A lot of fractures, amputations, they're traumatized, especially the toddlers, they're very fearful.

Bakody: There are international concerns about child protection issues. What do you think? What's your thoughts?

Jean-Francois: Being Haitian, child slavery has been in Haiti for all my life-time. And I am 39. There's the whole restavik system we have in Haiti. That hasn't changed much so all I see is that this is just going to compound the problem because there's so many orphans, there are many orphans so it's very easy, very, very easy for them to take advantage and exploit the kids. Especially when a lot of them, involves the families, actually giving them up to someone else. And now you have these kids in the streets so.

Bakody: How are you able to serve children's needs the best you can holistically including the issues around child protection and unaccompanied minors?

Jean-Francois: In terms of public health and kids health I move them to an other area of this compound and I was able to get a hold of a pediatrician who can monitor them with a nurse. We have volunteers from the church and also the organization who took care of kids who didn't have any parents - fed them, wash them, take them for walks, you know talk to them. A lot of the church members actually play with them. A lot of organizations I think like World Vision ...brought a lot of toys, brought supplies, people brought food. Everybody's been generous especially when it comes to the kids and it's the same thing, trying to prevent them from getting infections.

PRESENTER: That was Haitian American doctor Yvonne Jean-Francois speaking from Jimani, Dominican Republic, a border town with Haiti.

Duration: 2'23"