Dr. Rahn Kennedy Bailey traveled to Haiti with the National Medical Association to provide medical care for the basic needs of Haitian earthquake survivors. (Photos by Shahar Azran.)

Dr. Rahn Bailey
Special to the Tri-State Defender

On Jan. 28, I arrived in Haiti with a group of physicians to do what we could in the midst of the tremendous devastation there. I brought supplies from Meharry Medical College such as food, bottled water, cleaning solutions, bandages, antibiotics and personal hygiene items.

We worked to bring supplies to Grace Catholic Church/Orphanage, which had 200 girls on site. They had no running water, no plumbing, and only a three-day supply of food.

Dr. Bailey tells the mother of this infant that breastfeeding is the best option since no milk was available.

After a big catastrophe like the earthquake we are always confronted with post traumatic stress disorder and affective illness (mood disorder). Depression and anxiety are the main problems. The girls’ hopes were dimming and after they found out I was a psychiatrist several people posed the question to me, “how could things get better?”

We found children with astronomical fear and most had a very strong sensation of helplessness and hopelessness for the future. There was fear, anxiety, apprehension and concern for their safety as the camp of 200 girls was surrounded by about 18,000 people who were all in a state of despair. Just outside of their camp, people bathe openly outside, kids are naked, and the demand for food and clean water are overwhelming.

Many of the girls had suffered substantial psychological stressors long before the earthquake. They have faced issues such as death of a parent, lack of health care, disease, sexual assault and gun violence. They have shown remarkable resilience in the past; however, a psychological stressor like the earthquake can bring existing conditions to the forefront. Individuals who have been impacted by psychological stressors in the past have less emotional reserves available to be able to address the day-to-day struggles they are currently exposed to.

I attempted to arrange an opportunity for groups to talk, to address their respective concerns. It was rudimentary at best, but I hope and believe it was beneficial.

Concerning treatment strategies, I recommend a four-fold approach for these girls and the thousands of other Haitians who are suffering.

First, each of them needs an avenue to verbalize what they think about what has happened to them. It may seem counter-productive, but what was clear to me is that although the girls were in the same place at the same time, many of them had inconsistent recollections of the event. Their recollections were remarkably different. They need to speak with one another so they can compare apples to apples.

Secondly, an intervention strategy of group therapy should occur. They need to be able to hear in a formalized setting what the other girls experienced and how they are dealing with it.

My third recommendation is that each girl would benefit tremendously from regular, weekly, individualized therapy. That therapy would be based on the individual needs of each girl. It would give them an opportunity to let their emotions flow about not only this event, but all of the psychological stressors in their lives.

Finally, many of these girls will require medical management intervention; all may not, but some will. Medications such as Serotonin, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro and Prozac are needed to treat the substantial depression and anxiety we expect to see in these cases.

There is tremendous misery in Haiti. As relief workers are faced with providing the basic needs of food, shelter and medical care, it’s important not to forget about the great need for psychological treatment that is necessary for these individuals to rebuild their lives.

(Dr. Rahn Kennedy Bailey is the chair and executive director of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Meharry Medical College.)