Sunday, January 17, 2010

I'm sure this is going to turn out to be our fault, too

Earthquake victims, writhing in pain and grasping at life, watched doctors and nurses walk away from a field hospital Friday night after a Belgian medical team evacuated the area, saying it was concerned about security.

The decision left CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta as the only doctor at the hospital to get the patients through the night.

CNN initially reported, based on conversations with some of the doctors, that the United Nations ordered the Belgian First Aid and Support Team to evacuate. However, Belgian Chief Coordinator Geert Gijs, a doctor who was at the hospital with 60 Belgian medical personnel, said it was his decision to pull the team out for the night. Gijs said he requested U.N. security personnel to staff the hospital overnight, but was told that peacekeepers would only be able to evacuate the team.
Up to a point I can understand this, but
Sandra Pierre, a Haitian who has been helping at the makeshift hospital, said the medical staff took most of the supplies with them.
Why? I mean, if you're so worried about security that you're bugging out, why take all this stuff with you? Especially if, as it says later, you're planning on being back the next day?

Just bloody awful.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As usual, UN springs into action, runs like the snivelling cowards they always prove themselves to be, taking anything useful with them.

Why in hell doesn't the US Military simply relieve the UN contingent of any useful articles and supplies in it's possession and run their sorry asses out of Haiti?

Gerry N.

Unknown said...

Why? I mean, if you're so worried about security that you're bugging out, why take all this stuff with you? Especially if, as it says later, you're planning on being back the next day?

Possibly crime, even in the midst of all the suffering, is so rampant in Haiti that those 'supplies' would not be there the next day if left behind?   This sounds very bad, but I'll wait for more details before becoming too judgmental?
.