Saurel Descombes n’est plus: Un grand portapimentais nous a laissés!

English version:Saurel-Descombes

Ce fut un réel  choc, hier matin, samedi 21 mars 2020, d’apprendre la nouvelle de la mort de mon très cher et vieil ami, Saurel Descombes, à Port-au-Prince.  Mille et une idées cheminaient  et fourmillaient dans ma  tête;, je ne pouvais y croire.  Il n’avait pas répondu à mon appel du mercredi, ni à mon message du Jeudi.     Messenger indiquait que son téléphone  était branché. Nous avions bavardé, mardi soir, lui, parlant de son  désir d’aller à Port-a-Piment aussitôt que la situation sécuritaire du pays s’améliore.

Très connu, Saurel fut un homme de référence dans toute la dimension. Il connaissait bien sa commune qu’il aimait beaucoup.  Il n’hésitait jamais à m’appeler pour partager ses idées. Notre amitié fut de très longue date.  Notre frustration de voir notre pays sombrer dans sa laideur nous  faisait mal, très mal. Dans son livre Port-à-Piment en Route, Saurel écrivait : » Si nous ne prenons pas les  réalités comme elles se présenteront, elles nous prendront comme nous serons, avec nos lacunes, et ce sera la catastrophe. « 

Il aimait les jeunes  et les instruisait avec beaucoup de passion. Il fonda le Centre d’Etudes St Michel  à Port-à-Piment. Un jeune ami et ancien élève du Centre d’Etudes St Michel m’avait déclaré, en juillet 2015 : “Si se pat Mèt Saurel, mwen pa tap kote m ye jodia, m ta rete analfabèt »  Il était patient, pédagogue. La fanfare de Port-a-Piment lui doit son existence. Il était compositeur de musique. Il faisait partie du groupe musical “Les Etoiles “ de Port-à-Piment qui brillait dans les années  70.  Aventurier, Saurel fut un chercheur assidu et studieux qui souvent n’hésitait pas à grimper les mornes surplombant Port-à-Piment et ses environs, en quête de nouvelles découvertes.  Il fut très connu pour sa parfaite connaissance de notre fameuse Grotte Marie Jeanne. Soucieux de sa valeur et de sa richesse, Saurel prenait soin de bien former les guides touristiques.

Saurel  n’hésitait jamais à prêter main forte  à tous ceux et celles qui visionnaient un Port-à-Piment beau et accueillant. Il détestait la médiocrité. Il nous encourageait  et fut l’un des premiers supporteurs de notre organisation. Saurel a ouvert grandement les portes de son école pour organiser le premier camp d’été de KPP. Nous nous rappelons qu’il prenait un vrai plaisir à accompagner les enfants dans leurs activités culturelles.  Accompagné de sa guitare, il animait des sessions de chants  qu’il avait lui-même composés.  Que de bons souvenirs !

Bon voyage, mon vieil ami ! Que la terre te soit légère !

Nos sympathies vont  à toutes les familles portapimentaises,et spécialement à ses enfants et amis touchés par ce deuil.

Milou

 

 

KPP 2020 Elections results

KPP welcomes newly elected and returning Board members following its Annual General Meeting held on Sunday March 8th 2020.

On behalf of the Board and the election committee, our thanks go to everyone who participated in the election process. Please join me in welcoming our new and returning Directors:

  • Frantz J Jean , President ( Returning)
  • Carolle Paul, Vice President (Returning)
  • Yves Sidney, Treasurer ( New)
  • Jean-Marie Florestal, Secretary (New)
  • Geto Dumesle, Director ( Returning)
  • Gerald Sidney, Director (Returning)
  • Serge Bellegarde, Director (returning)
  • Claudel Moise. Director ( returning)
  • Joseph Anselme, Director (New)
  • Marilys Randolph, Director (new)
  • Claude Levy, Director (New)

Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. depends heavily on its volunteer leaders who are so giving of their time and so deeply committed to advancing our organization.  

Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to help develop the municipality of Port-a-Piment, a small town in Southwest Haiti. Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. promotes Civic, Social, Health and Educational programs that benefit the community. Your donations are tax deductible as charitable contributions to the extent allowed by law. A copy of our financial statements may be obtained by writing to Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. at 18421 NW 12th Street Pembroke Pines, Florida 33029. Phone: 516-270-6144

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, 1-800-435-7352 (800-HELP-FLA) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. ”

Registration # CH43314

 

Focus on the Hospital of Port-a-Piment

The Hospital of Port-a-Piment is a public institution which was officially inaugurated on the 28th of October 2010. It is one of the largest health facilities on the Southwest coast of Haiti.

 

The hospital is the most imposing building in town and it offers the following services

  • Short-term Hospitalization 
  • Radiology
  • Laboratory
  • Maternity
  • Vaccination
  • Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

 

In addition to serving the residents of the commune of Port-a-Piment, the hospital is heavily visited by patients living outside the immediate area, from Tiburon to Roche-a-Bâteau.

The hospital structure houses a  Reception/ Patient triage area,  an Emergency Department with 2 observation rooms and a dressing room, a General Ward with 21 beds, a Maternity Ward that includes an antenatal consultation room, a postnatal area, a family planning service . The Delivery Area consists of a Pre-Partum room with a capacity of 2 beds, a delivery room with 2 birth tables and a Post-Partum room with a capacity of 6 beds. Vaccination and Malnutrition services are also offered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Medical Staff includes a Medical Director, 3 nursing assistants, a Laboratory Technician and a physician on duty by contract. Each year, the Medical Director must request from the state the appointment of Doctors and Nurses in Social Service residency so as to meet the needs of the population: “The lack of technical human resources is a major handicap at the hospital. More doctors and nurses are needed to provide quality and necessary care to the patients” states the Medical Director Dr. André Letang.

After the passage of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, the hospital welcomed a contingent of Médecins Sans Frontières of Belgium (MSF) (Doctors Without Borders) to enhance all of the above services and help run them 7days/week, 24 hours/day.

Two years later, in 2018, this major and important partner, MSF, reduced its number of support personnel as the emergency period for Hurricane Matthew had ended. They fortunately continue with Maternity/ Woman Services as a vital service in the community, with the goal of reducing the maternal mortality rate in the Southern department and more specifically in the Port-a-Piment area. MSF also helps in the operation of the Emergency Room, as it funds the services of 4 nurses and one doctor.

Following are the latest statistics for the Hospital of Port-a-Piment.

For the Year 2019 :

Doctors’visits                         13958

Emergencies                           2137

Admissions                              1172

Prenatal Consultations            5844

Referrals to other facilities         237

Deliveries                                 1088

Family Planning                       5486

     

Among the numerous benefactors of the hospital, we note and give thanks to:

The late Mr. Fritz Gattereau, ex-Mayor, who donated the land upon which the hospital was built.

The Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. (KPP) for its unrelenting efforts and assistance.

Dr Eddy Jean-Baptiste of  the “Associations des Medecins Haitiens” for his guidance.and care.

The Class of 72 Association Inc. of Maryland headed by Dr Henriot St Gerard, who provided various medical equipment and support.

To these,

we are proud to add:

The Family, Colleagues and Friends of the late Dr Roger Malebranche who passed away last January. We are grateful for their contributions to KPP in the name of Dr Malebranche.

In coordination with, and on the advice of the Medical Director, Dr. Andre Letang, Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. purchased a Carestream 14×17 X-Ray Cassette, 5 boxes of Medical X-Ray Films, and 6 Printer Toners to reinforce the services in the Radiology unit. The X-Ray Cassette is as of now in Haiti. The films and toners are awaiting shipment to Haiti.

  

Konbit Pou Potapiman also expresses its gratefulness to the Hospital Administrator Mr. Evens Pierre and his Staff , who strive to provide the necessary care to the population of Port-a-Piment..

Frantz