National Women's Health Week
The 10th annual National Women's Health Week will kick off on Mother's Day, May 10, 2009 and will be celebrated until May 16, 2009. National Women's Checkup Day will be Monday, May 11, 2009.

NHAHA is asking Haitian women to take charge of their Health by:

• Scheduling a checkup for early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and other conditions. Learn more about National Women's Checkup Day.
• Getting at least 2 ½ hours of moderate physical activity,
• 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both each week
• Eating a nutritious diet.
• Visiting a health care professional for regular checkups and preventive screenings.
• Avoiding risky behaviors, like smoking and not wearing a seatbelt.
• Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress.

» National Women's Health Week Fact Sheet (PDF, 181 Kb)

» Click Here for more info.

Take the Pledge!

The 7th annual National Women's Checkup Day will be held on Monday, May 11, 2009, during National Women's Health Week. The day is dedicated to encouraging women to visit health care professionals to receive or schedule a checkup and promoting regular checkups as vital to the early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and other conditions.

» National Women's Checkup Day Fact Sheet (PDF, 178 Kb)

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HAITIAN HEALTH IN THE NEWS

From Haiti

Haïti: Mettre sa vie en danger pour une cause
Il me vient aujourd'hui à l'idée de parler de certaines méthodes que d'aucuns utilisent pour faire passer leurs revendications. Les moyens employés mettent en jeu la santé d'un individu, hypothèquent leur vie même, pour la sacro sainte défense des idées...
20 Avril 2009
» L'article

Haïti: Guerre aux moustiques
La dissémination de moustiques génétiquement modifiés dans l'environnement pour lutter contre la dengue est en passe d'ouvrir un nouveau front dans la guerre contre les maladies à transmission vectorielle.
On estime que 100 millions de personnes contractent la dengue chaque...
20 Avril 2009
» L'article

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From Dominican Republic

We are reaching a new frontier to serve those in desperate need in Haiti”—Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO

ANSE-A-PITRES, Haiti. – As part of its long-term objective to develop a permanent humanitarian intervention at Haiti’s border communities, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) dispatched from April 12th through the 19th a team of American dentists, faculty, students and aides to provide free dental assistance to children and adults in dire need of urgent dental care in Haiti’s border Commune of Anse-a-Pitres. Click HERE to view images.

Anse-a-Pitres is located on the Southeastern tip of the island of Hispaniola across to Pedernales in the Dominican Republic. The Anse-a-Pitres’ population of about 30,000 lives in extreme poverty due to its isolation from much government as well as international economic support. Basic services are virtually absent, including potable water, electricity and healthcare living residents in a complete state of abandonment and vulnerable to diseases.

Dr. Thomas Beague, BRA’s Dental Chief and mission leader confirmed that a total of 414 patients received full treatment and more than 600 teeth were pulled. All patients received anesthesia, pain medication, and antibiotics when necessary. Children from 2-10 also received antiparasitic medicines to rid them of intestinal worms and multivitamins to boost their immune system—an effort sponsored by BRA partner, Vitamin Angel Alliance.

BRA joined forces with two local youth groups—AJPA and DJMM to organize the one-week dental clinic’s logistics. “Our initial efforts focused on a large-scale publicity campaign, which included radio interviews, posters and announcements in churches and community organizations throughout Anse-a-Pitres,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO. Dr. Beague added, “Our team included four dentists (Dr. Steve Ricco, Dr. Ilha Kim, Dr. Adam Merrian and myself), four dental assistants (Sara Beague, Diana M. Beague, Thomas J. Beague and Kathy Delva) and one mission coordinator (Samuel D. Slavin) who worked tirelessly to serve as many people as we could, even though there were many more in need of treatment that did not get a chance to be seen. But we will come back next spring.”

Batey Relief Alliance’s founder to YALE audience: More HIV/AIDS resources for DR’s extreme poor.
Posted in events, news, stories | No Comments » | April 11th, 2009

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, – Ulrick Gaillard, founder and CEO of the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) will address on Saturday, April 18, 2009 an audience of academicians, public health experts, students, and international aid workers and executives at the Unite For Sight’s 6th annual Global Health Conference to be held at Yale University.

Gaillard will present about the humanitarian work of his organization in HIV/AIDS and its collaborative effort to educate, prevent and treat the disease inside the Dominican Republic’s most vulnerable sugarcane agricultural communities known as bateyes. “In partnerships with the Dominican’s Ministry of Health, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Clinton’s HIV/AIDS Initiative, the BRA delivers free services in testing, psychological support, healthcare, antiretroviral therapy, nutrition and microcredit loans to hundreds of impoverished batey residents infected and affected by the deadly virus,” said Gaillard. But he also warned that unless adequate resources are available to continue those services, many lives will be at stake and lost.

The lecture is part of the Batey Relief Alliance’s effort to promote and advocate awareness of the needs of the populations it serves, and encourage public participation in its many projects. The Batey Relief Alliance has an established humanitarian aid intervention in the Dominican Republic since 1997 and now expanding into Haiti’s border regions. The organization addresses the socio-economic and health needs of children and their families severely by poverty, disease and hunger in the Caribbean and Latin America.

For more information about this release or to schedule a lecture with Ulrick Gaillard, contact the Batey Relief Alliance at bra@bateyrelief.org.

USAID’s IFRP saves lives of poor living with HIV/AIDS in DR Bateyes.

Posted in news | No Comments » | April 8th, 2009

MONTE PLATA, Dominican Republic. – Since 2005, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) developed a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program delivering free healthcare, antiretroviral (ARV) treatment and medicines to hundreds of children and adults infected/affected by HIV and AIDS inside the bateyes in the province of Monte Plata. The program is implemented in partnerships with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Dominican’s Ministry of Health. “But one crucial component was missing in the program all along, until three years ago the USAID donated to the BRA 75 MT tons of dehydrated food to distribute to most at-risk patients of malnutrition undergoing ARV treatment,” said Ulrick Gaillard, CEO of the BRA.

In its second-year of funding, the USAID completely financed the food program with annual grants of $272,800 of which, $173,100 goes toward the food commodities and $99,700 for the receipt, rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of the commodities to the vulnerable populations, including HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis sufferers, pregnant women, the elderly and grandparents caring for orphaned/vulnerable children (OVC). “The International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP) is a USAID Food for Peace Title II Initiative to support the production, stockpiling, transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable, prepackaged foods by U.S. non-profit and Public International Organizations. And we are glad to partner with the BRA to help the people of the Dominican Republic,” said Ben Vogler, IFRP’s Program Officer.

The food program complements two other BRA programs: the Micronutrient/deworming providing food to 55,000 children taking multivitamins and antiparasitic medicines, and the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment providing food to those who are malnourished and undergoing ARV therapy or taking potent medicines to fight opportunistic diseases. “Proper nutrition has shown to have not only positive physical and psychological results on our patients, but also tremendous economic impacts on their communities,” added Gaillard.

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From the U.S.

Recent News

1. Resident ticked off at campaign signs Sun Apr 26, 2009
2. Haiti childbirth crisis has become 'unmanageable' Sun Apr 19, 2009
   (This story was originally published December 9, 2008.) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Cradling her oversized belly, the expectant mother waddles into the delivery room where... more...
3. Secretary Clinton: US behind Haiti for long term Thu Apr 16, 2009
   U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton assured Haitians Thursday that the United States' latest aid is more than a short-term fix for a... more...
4. Law students get real-world experience Sat Apr 11, 2009
   Desperate and living on the edge, Orestes Alayo turned to University of Miami law students to help him. A former political prisoner who had... more...
5. USNS Comfort docks in Miami amid humanitarian mission Sat Apr 4, 2009
   The ship doesn't live up to its name, at least for its crew -- though to the thousands abroad it will provide care for,... more...
6. A ray of hope in the fight against AIDS Thu Mar 12, 2009
   Finally, some good news in the fight against HIV in the Americas, and most surprisingly, it's coming from Haiti, one of the countries... more...
7. Bill Clinton offers Haiti encouraging words Mon Mar 9, 2009
   A smiling Bill Clinton on Monday walked up to the group of school children dressed in red and white checkered uniforms, lost in a... more...
8. Haitian Government Delegation in Cuba for Working Visit Mon Mar 2, 2009
   The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture of the Republic of Haiti , Alrich Nicolas, is headsing a delegation from his country that is... more...
9. Workouts Power (Plate) off the pounds Tue Feb 24, 2009
   Body: Mia Sylvestre, 28, 5-feet-4, 144 pounds, trainer at Myra & Company in South Miami. Her passion: The Power Plate, a new workout machine... more...
10. Doctor talks to UM students about work in Third World countries Wed Feb 18, 2009
    As a world-renowned physician, Dr. Paul Farmer has brought his approach to public health to some of the most gut-wrenching places in the world.... more...
11. Clinton, in Visit to Haiti, Brings Aid and Promises Support ...
    Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton came to Haiti with about $300 million in American aid, six months after the country was devastated ...
12. Haitians want Hillary Clinton to stop deportations
    As US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits Thursday, the expectations of Haiti's people are dismally low. ...
13. Haiti's Public Health System Failing Patients
    Main Category: Aid / Disasters
    Article Date: 16 Apr 2009 - 1:00 PDT
14. Study Links Tooth Decay And Gum Infections To Ethnicity And Country Of Origin
    Main Category: Dentistry
    Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
    Article Date: 29 Mar 2007 - 1:00 PDT
15. Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin Examines Barriers To Mental Health Services For Immigrants
    Main Category: Mental Health
    Also Included In: Anxiety / Stress;  Psychology / Psychiatry
    Article Date: 16 Apr 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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INSIDE NHAHA

Save the Date
NHAHA 6th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Date: October 9-11, 2009
Place: New York

Title: 2010-2020, a decade for leadership and community action in Haitian Health. An examination of Innovative approaches to policy-making and community –level interventions for addressing health disparities in minority populations.

Call for Abstracts: 2009 NHAHA Abstracts
Deadline: June 24, 2009

NHAHA 2010-2015 Goals: We have come a long way and looking to the future. We need to help and contribution to others to make a difference in the health of Haitians over the next decade. Here is the organization summary plan fhighlighting the goals for the next 10 years.

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HEADLINES

SWINE FLU
The emerging outbreak of the swine virus illustrates the importance of Emergency Preparedness in our Haitian communities. As you know NHAHA has explored Health communications and Marketing in the community in case of a health emergency. More specifically, NHAHA received a contract from Region II from the Office of Minority Health (OMH) to convene a Strategic summit on Emergency Preparedness in the NY Haitian community as a follow-up to the findings of the 2007 conference on health marketing in 2007. On August 2008, key Representatives from Media, church, and CBO's were invited to discuss communication challenges, explored mechanism, system for improvement and relevant methods to outreaching to the Haitian population . Much more needs to be done and NHAHA will continue to make this issue a priority. The recommendations were as follows:

• Establish a health communication system to connect the community with city, state and federal health agencies to the community and vice versa.
• Ensure messages or products to be conveyed to this population are linguistically and culturally appropriate.
• Prepare and train existing media, channels, CBO's and churches and other gatekeepers to be vehicles for information dissemination in the community.
• Build, train a pool of on individuals to provide translation and interpretation services where needed.
• Work with hospitals and other partners to coordinate medical response to a disaster area in the form of personnel, teams and individuals, supplies, and equipment.
• Maintain a communication system that can also be used for health marketing interventions to this population.

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SWINE VIRUS in the News

As Swine Flu Toll Rises In Mexico, The Rest Of The World Gets Ready
Written by Catharine Paddock, PhD

As the number of cases and deaths from swine flu go up in Mexico, and the US, Canada and other countries also report cases of the disease, but so far no deaths, other countries begin to take measures to contain the outbreak...
[read article]

What Is Swine Flu? How Is Swine Flu Treated?
Written by Christian Nordqvist

Swine flu (swine influenza) is a disease of pigs. It is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by one of many Influenza A viruses. Approximately 1% to 4% of pigs that get swine flu die from it...
[read article]

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Prostate Cancer New Guidelines For PSA Screening
Written by Catharine Paddock, PhD

The American Urological Association (AUA) issued new guidelines on prostate cancer screening for men today, which goes against much of the recent advice of other groups, and recommends that well informed men aged 40 and...
[read article]

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