04-JUN-B-7
FORWARDING NAMES AND
CREDENTIALS TO BRA
FOR DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
AUTHORITIES
CLEARANCE
To: Batey Relief Alliance
Date: 6/25/04 2:34PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Plans for proposed GW
medical aid travel to DominicanRepublic/Haiti
We will try to centralize
this in the Office of International Medicine.
I had talked with Bryan before he left for Cleveland, and we had a
series of names, but I am not sure what the official passport name or number
would be. I have a number of them trying
to get in as others were dropping out as recently as an hour ago, but last
night I had to commit by the close of business on Thursday 6/24 to a block
purchase of the group seats to get the discounted fare for students. I purchased 17 of them, with the idea that I
would be the only one NOT getting the discount, since I am going to stop over
in MIA on the return flight to drive a rental car up to Gainesville for the
weekend, before returning to MIA to fly home‑‑this would give me
the chance to visit my new grandson born last week, although it ironically
takes me out of the package of lower fare rates.
I will begin the process of
registration for the group, which will be unknown for its final makeup until
July 2 when the irrevocable ticketing is issued. I will send this forward to Huda Ayas and
Rick James of the International Medicine Office, and they can keep the tally
running and co‑ordinate details.
Huda Ayas, the Office's Director will be accompanying us on the trip!
As the only licensed
professional so far committed, I have sent you an extensive list of the
credentialing, and will fax you three licenses in different states as well as
Board Certifications should you need them to the 809/540‑0786
number.
DC License # MD 6537 Exp
12/31/04
Federal Narcotic and
Dangerous Drug AG 4882863
DC Drug Licence 058904741
Md License #D‑13440 Exp 12/31/05
American Board of Surgery
21990 Exp July 1, 2007
The student names are
unofficially sent with the list below headed by mine, which is the only name I
am sure of with respect to passport, etc.
ITINERARY:
ARRIVAL 19 July '04 12:53‑‑3:09 PM MIA‑‑SIQ
A/A783
(full TICKETING INFORMATION COMING WITH THE FAX AND LICENSES)
PERSONNEL:
Glenn W. Geelhoed, MD US # 155129760 Exp. 25 July '05
Huda Ayas, Office of International
Medicine
Mike Williams, Howard
University Junior Medical Student
Lindsay Eisler, GWUMC
sophomore medical student
Laurie Kates "
" ""
Vesta Salehi "
" "
Nina Ahuja
" " "
Adam Benzig GWUMC
Masters In Public Health student
Neely Dahl "" ""
""
Bryan J Schaaf "
" "
Sonbol Shahid‑Salles
" " "
Martha Wood "
" "
X X X Haitian Creole translator and Spanish
translator helper
Sarah Caton GWUMC Microbiology Employee and pre‑med
student
Three as yet unknown GWUMC
medical students
One surgeon (Avram Cooperman
MD) I am interviewing on Tuesday, to replace the two who dropped out on
insecurity of their families about the later environment
I will try to keep you
informed as others confirm before the July 2 final date.
Thanks!
GWG
>>> "Batey
Relief Alliance" <bra@bateyrelief.org> 06/26/04 11:21AM
>>>
Dear Dr. Geelhoed,
I need as soon as possible a
complete list of all personnel traveling the group.
This is to secure visas for
Haiti from the Consulate. We do not have much time let.
I need the names and
professions. If students, just write students.
For certified doctors,
please fax me copies of their resumes and professional licenses at (809) 540‑0786.
Thanks,
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: Batey Relief Alliance
Sent: Thursday, June 17,
2004 5:20 AM
Subject: Re: Plans for
proposed GW medical aid travel to DominicanRepublic/Haiti
Ulrick,
I couldnt agree with you
more. Im just waiting for a time when Dr. G and I can go to American Airlines
and block off 20 tickets for a reasonable and hopefully subsidized rate.
Project Medishare (www.projectmedishare.org)
has agreed to rendezvous with us at the border.
Should I tell students to
bring sleeping bags, pillows, etc. for Jimani? They will probably want to know
what the sleeping arrangements will be like so they can prepare. Will getting
purified or boiled water be a problem in the Jimani area? If so, we can stock
up in Santo Domingo.
I hope to get ahold of Dr. G
(he is at a conference now) and finalize things shortly. Well stay in regular
contact.
Bryan
Batey Relief Alliance <bra@bateyrelief.org>
wrote:
Dear Bryan,
Any updates on the trip,
i.e, number of persons traveling, dates of travel, etc.
We need to make
arrangements.
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Sent: Wednesday, June 09,
2004 8:56 AM
Subject: Re: Plans for
proposed GW medical aid travel to DominicanRepublic/Haiti
Ulrick,
Hello. Im just emailing to
let you know that we are in the process of assembling our team. We should have
about 20 people total. 12 medical students, 1 EMT, 5 public health students, 2
doctors, and possibly a representative from Health and Human Services. Of
course, we would make more room for doctors and nurses you know who might be
interested in joining us.
We are working on finalizing
dates, but are looking into flying into Santo Domingo in the neighborhood of
July 19. We would need arranged transportation to get us to Jimani.... also a
dry, safe place for the group to sleep. Basic meals and clean water (boiled is
fine) would be great. Can you provide me with an idea of how much meals and
water usually cost? In Haiti, we usually said twenty dollars a day.
Our understanding is that we
will spend four days working in Jimani (we are flexible), and then we would
need to arrange transportation to help us get to a border crossing in Haiti
where we can rendezvous with the Haiti team. It would be nice if I could
introduce one of your staff members to the Haiti team. I know there is a crossing at Elias Pinas,
this might not be a bad alternative. Im open to suggestions, though.
I just wanted to email you
and let you know we are working out details, we will be in touch as we learn more.
Sincerely,
Bryan
bra@bateyrelief.org wrote:
Dear Dr. Geelhoed,
Thank you so much for your
letter. Very informative.
Below are responses to some
of your key points.
‑‑If you already
have a mission date, BRA can advertise it on its website ASAP. We will likely
receive volunteer requests. Until we know the date and advertise it, it will be
hard for BRA to entertain volunteer offers. That's how we usually set up
mission teams.
‑‑ I am glad you
will have medical supplies with you. BRA will arrange for the group to enter
the country with them without any problem. We partner with the country's
Ministry of Health and State Sugar Council in our ongoing humanitarian health
intervention. Please see our website at www.bateyrelief.org.
‑‑ As soon as
you meet next week, please let me know exactly how many of you will travel and
the specific dates for the mission. I have to post this on our website to
attract other volunteers. How many more volunteers would you need to complete
the team? And what types of skills you would be looking for?
‑‑ Is July 19
the starting date of the mission? ‑‑ and for how long? How would
you like to structure the mission?
‑‑ DO NOT WORRY,
BRA WILL GET THE GROUP CUSTOMS CLEARANCE, GROUND TRANSPORTATION AND SECURITY.
Please confirm with me
whether BRA should zero in on your group for our official "Hispaniola's
flood disaster medical relief intervention." If so, then I won't have to
entertain other offers at this time.
I look forward to working
with you. If you need to call me, please do so at (917) 627‑5026.
Sincerely,
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Glenn Geelhoed
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Cc: EPowers166@aol.com
; atam@gwu.edu ; jhanowell@gwu.edu ; jyc@gwu.edu ; lkeck@gwu.edu
; mmike@gwu.edu ; shafkat@gwu.edu ; yturiy@gwu.edu ; Huda
Ayas ; Joan Loomis ; Peter Hotez ; eskpagan@hotmail.com ; raa1@neoucom.edu
; elizabeth.yellen@tch.harvard.edu ; dmdralph@ufl.edu ; bryanjschaaf@yahoo.com
Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004
7:07 AM
Subject: Re: Plans for
proposed medical aid travel to DominicanRepublic/Haiti
Dear Dr. Ulrick:
Allow me to introduce
myself, if somewhat tardy having just returned from other travels. I was hoping to hold off my discussions until
I would know some more specifics about what we could offer, since I have always
got a large number of medical students eager and ready to participate in such
an international relief effort, but they have scattered for the summer in the
case of the past‑year freshmen/rising sophomores (the only medical
students who have a "summer") at the date of the graduation
ceremonies last week for which I had returned.
I have a good friend who is a retired surgeon
in Youngstown Ohio, Dr. Rashid Abdu who is now an experienced medical mission
provider ( a former GWU medical alumnus and host of annual Visiting
Professorships I had given over twenty years in his program he had always said
he was eager to carry out such missions when he retired‑‑and,
unlike many people who say the same, he is actually doing it!) He is interested in the DR, having done
Mexican missions, and his family had reservations about Haiti.
Not so in the case of
Elizabeth Pagan, a person who has been actively working on a Lutheran medial
mission in Haiti and who would like to join us while there to which she and a team
are leaving next week. I will be meeting
with her and her team on Tuesday with Bryan next week.
I am a veteran of
international medical missions past counting (see attachment) and have done a
dozen or more a year for decades. I had
also ordered from MAP (Medical Assistance Programs, Inc, of which I am a member
and regular user of their international travel packs of antibiotics,
analgesics, ointments, rehydration salts, bandages, and a number of nutritional
and vitamin packs‑‑of the kind that I had used regularly in India
and in Africa in recent missions. These
can be carried in with all the disclaimers for non‑sale and only under
the license of the accompanying physician, which would be I.
Further details about how
many students can be freed up‑‑literally scores were besieging me
at the time we had started in the process, when the travel restrictions on
Haiti pulled that plug and a diversion to Honduras was worked out for a part of
that team‑‑who would join Bryan and me as part of the public health
team, and the specific details of the dates and arrangements are the things I
shall have to work out when we meet next week.
Immediately after our meeting, I will be immersed in a ten day
"residence" which the doctoral program refers to as "boot
camp", for day and night on another campus. When I return form that, I had found that I
could clear obligations about the time that Dr. Abdu also says he might be free‑‑having
an Indian reservation trip canceled on the illness of the team leader‑‑about
the start of the week July 19, and could continue for at least two weeks,
particularly if there is an extension for our return into Haiti, where we had
worked last year. For that the
transportation and clearances will need to be obtained‑‑and you are
very well aware of how the local ground transport is not an assumed
"given."
For your interest, the
project MediShare we had carried out in Thumonde Haiti had been exactly last
year. But, more a reflection on me, My first‑ever medical mission now forty
years ago was as a freshman medical student in a beautiful little town
alongside white sand beaches and blue waters of the Caribbean with waving palm
branches in the sea breezes. I set up
rehydration clinics and also worked at Dario Contreras and San Juan de Dios Children's
Hospital. All of this idyllic mission
experience changed abruptly as helicopters appeared behind those waving palm
branches and landing craft hit those beaches, and a 103 recoil‑less rifle
was set up in front of my house as the rebels under Camanao and the loyalists
fought over control of the bridges and radio station, as Lyndon Johnson's
sending of the Rangers and 82nd Airborne into the middle of the Civil War in
Santo Domingo brought me into another reality which has remained the norm for
most of my medical missions in troubled spots ever since. So, if asked about how we deal with issues of
security amid plagues, famines, floods, and droughts with a second layering of
wars and civil unrest, I would say, each time, it may have increased the urgency
for our help rather than inhibit it, and I am willing to go where I am needed
to do what needs to be done.
I look forward to further
planning as more details become available to send to you and to incorporate
your suggestions in what we can and cannot offer become known.
Thank you for your patience.
GWG
>>> <bra@bateyrelief.org>
06/04/04 04:01PM >>>
Great Bryan.
Many lives are at stake now.
Your support will help save
them.
I may even arrange for the
group to cross into Haiti through the Haitian government.
This will depend mostly on
if the group wants to do it.
Thanks,
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Sent: Thursday, June 03,
2004 9:45 AM
Subject: Re:
Ulrick,
I have passed your
information on to Dr. Glenn Geelhoed and he said that he would contact you
shortly. Together, we should be able make this happen. I am going to send him
an email and touch base with him again about this.
Bryan
bra@bateyrelief.org wrote:
Dear Bryan,
We would like to set a
medical mission with your group as soon as possible for the flood victims.
Can you please tell me
whether you are still interested.
Look forward to hearing from
you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004
12:30 PM
Subject: Re:
Ulrich,
Simply put, we will do what
you feel is most appropriate. We will have a surgeon/infectious disease
specialist, several other doctors (hopefully a GP and a pediatrician), several
medical students, and also some public health students. We can bring down
medications and carry out health fairs in areas which are under‑served.
We can also diagnose and make referrals. Our public health students are able to
conduct needs‑assessments for public health projects.
I will not be able to
arrange housing as my spanish skills are not strong. We were hoping that in
exchange for our time and medicine, BRA could help us find temp. housing. Of
course, we will pay for food. Not knowing the country, having transportation
arranged would be useful.
I anticipate we could work
for about five days....or if you feel that is too much, then we could shorten
that time period.
We will be bringing a MAP
pack of medications and will try to bring extra vitamins, hypertensives, etc.
This usually lasts a few days. But the person to talk to for specifics would be
Dr. Glenn Geelhoed who will lead the trip. Should I give you his email address?
I must leave the office
right now, but would be happy to discuss ideas further or give you Dr.
Geelhoed's email address.
Talk to you soon,
Bryan
bra@bateyrelief.org wrote:
Dear Bryan,
That's fine.
Since you plan on having a
medical mission,
what type of care will you
be providing?
How many doctors/students
will be coming?
How may days?
Will you be making the
group's lodging, meals and ground transporatation arrangements?
How much of medical supplies
and medicines will you be bringing?
We will also need the exact
dates the group will be arriving for preparation.
As you can see, we do not
have much time to prepare for a full‑blown mission,
it usually takes us 6 months
to prepare.
We also have certain
protocols to follow, i.e., resumes and copies of professional licenses of the
persons providing direct care to the patients, etc.
Please call me at (917) 627‑5026
to discuss this further.
Sincerely,
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004
7:46 AM
Subject: Re:
Ulrick,
We would like learn more
about BRA, what is being done, and what remains to be done. Of course we would
like to discuss future collaborative work as well. However, we feel that we can make ourselves useful
while we are there by carrying out a medical mission in the Bateyes and
examining public health needs followed by ways to go about meeting these needs.
As far as dates, we thought
we would come around July 18 or so. I wish it would have worked out that we
could do this the last week of August when you will be there, but students will
be preparing for their classes. This is the time that works best for Doctor
Geelhoed.
Our agenda will depend on
BRA to a large extent. We can give BRA roughly five days, during which we can
have discussions, site visits, and medical missions in areas you feel are
paritcularly under‑served.
As we talk more and finalize
a list of will be coming, we can create a schedule and mutually agreeable
agenda.
Ill be in touch!
Sincerely,
Bryan Schaaf
bra@bateyrelief.org wrote:
Dear Brian,
Great to hear from you.
I have a few questions:
1. Are you going to have a
medical mission in the bateyes with BRA this summer?
2. Or are you sending a
group to discuss future collaborative work with BRA ‑‑ meaning to
have meetings with BRA and visits of BRA's work?
Since you are going to be in
July, you and the group will work directly with our office in the DR.
I will arrive myself end of
August.
Please send me an agenda for
the trip to the DR, including who is coming with a list of names, and what
topics/projects you wish to discuss with our local office, and the duration of
the trip with BRA in the DR. This is just for us to prepare ourselves.
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 7:05
AM
Subject: Re:
Ulrick,
As pertains to the George
Washington University trip this summer, things are coming along nicely. I am
very pleased that Dr. Glenn Geelhoed plans to
lead this trip. He is a well‑respected surgeon and international
public health specialist who carries out medical missions in low‑resource
settings such as Somalia, Congo, Haiti,
and many other countries. The medical students and public health
students will bring down a MAP pack of medications as well as vitamins and the
other needs you mentioned.
As it stands now, we would
like come to Santo Domingo sometime in the neighborhood of July 18. We
anticipate spending approximately five days in the DR. After this point, we
would like to go across the Haitian border and spend a few fays working in the
central plateau of Haiti where I used to be based.
We are unsure yet if we will
fly out of Haiti or the DR. Someone mentioned we might have to get our
passports stamped at the Haitian border to fly out of Port‑au‑Prince
and I am not sure if they are able to do that right now. We can talk about this
more later.
I just wanted to let you
know that we are making good progress and are looking forward to working with
you and BRA.
Sincerely,
Bryan Schaaf
bra@bateyrelief.org wrote:
Dear Bryan,
Great to hear from you, and
thank you so much for your quick response.
I would be happy to
brainstorm with you creating a formal relationship with the GWU ‑‑
and have teams of
medical/public health personnel travel to BRA's health care facilities in the
bateyes.
I will be in the DR most
likely at the end of August.
But if you would like to
travel to the DR before then, I will put in contact with our local Executive
Director to talk to you about how to formally create a working relationship
with the BRA. She would also take you to our sites.
Please let me know your
thoughts on this.
Sincerely,
Ulrick
‑‑‑‑‑
Original Message ‑‑‑‑‑
From: Bryan Schaaf
To: bra@bateyrelief.org
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2004
10:05 AM
Subject: Re:
Ulrick,
I have looked at the letter.
Perhaps forming a relationship with the department of public health at George
Washington University might be useful. We had planned a medical/public health
trip to the central plateau of Haiti where I used to work but political instability
prevented us from going. Maybe teams could come from GW to bring medications
and lend a hand where needed.
One possibility is that I
could come through the DR this summer and look at the various projects. I speak
Kreyol and have a public health background. This might be a good first step to
something more long‑term.
Id be happy to talk more
about this with you at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Bryan Schaaf
bra@bateyrelief.org wrote:
Dear Bryan,
How are you?
I am sending this letter of
support.
Please take a look at it,
and let me know what you can do.
Please take good care,
Ulrick
> ATTACHMENT part 2
application/msword name=Letter of support to BRA.doc
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CC: bryanjschaaf@yahoo.com; epowers166@aol.com; eternalankh@hotmail.com; Huda Ayas;
John Williams; msdgwg; msdhtj;
msdydr; Peter Hotez; Rhonda Goldberg; Rick James;
scaton16@yahoo.com; Scott Schroth