St Luke Hospital, Covid-19 Center

Dear friends,

As of this writing we have received about 850 people with symptoms of Coronavirus.

We are not able to test all, but the heads of the Coronavirus committee for the Ministry of Health have recently stated that the virus is so prevalent it is not even necessary to test all cases.

We have followed from the beginning the protocols of WHO and a few trusted hospitals in USA, with the exception of not being able to give experimental treatments  (like remdesivir), and the lack of ability to offer mechanical ventilation.

We have adjusted to the new recommendations as the protocols have evolved over the past months.

Nearly 400 of the 850 patients had moderate symptoms and we able to be sent home with some medicines to help with their symptoms, instructions on self isolation, and the invitation to return if they worsened.

 A small number have had to return,

The remaining 450 people were sick enough to need admission to our hospital. Of these, 125 developed catastrophic illness and died (as in other countries, usually around days 7 and 12.)

The day 7 crisis is known globally as an autoimmune disaster referred to as cytokine storm, and the day 12 crisis, also well documented globally, is from full body blood clotting, even in patients on heparin to prevent this.

Of the remaining 325 people, about 37 left against medical advice (usually to seek traditional spiritual treatments), 25 were transferred to centers that offer mechanical ventilation, about 80 are still in the hospital, and about 183 have gone home with a good recovery.

This means of 850 people, 400 went home for mild illness and 183 went home after successful hospital treatment.

We have noticed over the past week a decline in the numbers of people coming to us. This gives us a chance to work with a better and more relaxed rhythm, including better adherence to proper precautions.

We are not sure of the reasons for this decline. 

Some say that people still do not believe in the sickness, that many refuse to go to a hospital, that many manage their sickness with traditional teas.

Others say that there are more centers open, so the patient burden is now spread around.

One of the best reasons might be that Haiti has reached it's peak, and is declining (the current thinking is that the virus was here since mid-February 2020 and not March 16).

The populous areas of Port au Prince, including streets and open markets, have really never adhered to any social distancing rules. This is the reason why Dr Pape and the coronavirus commission have started to deemphasize testing.

This had a practical conclusion for us: select family members who visit their sick at our center, with proper protection, are much less likely to get Coronavirus at our hospital than they are to get it on the street.

This has diminished for the patient their loneliness, shame, and isolation. It has also led to better individual care for the patients with us since. family member helps with their care. 

We also have two Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity doing pastoral work with our sick, including prayers, communion, and signaling for me the ones who would like the sacramental blessing for the sick with the holy oils.

We do the last together.

I continue to care for the patients as physician and priest, visiting each one twice a day, reviewing the care they are receiving from our capable medical staff, listening to their many problems, offering words of prayer and encouragement, and whatever help I can organize for them,

We are grateful for your ongoing help. Thank you for walking with us and with those in our care, during these difficult times.

Fr Rick Frechette CP DO