'Breaking hearts open' in Haiti

Source Al Jazeera

I think it was Nancy Dorsinville, a long-time Partners In Health (PIH) colleague and friend, who said some days ago when we crossed paths in Port-au-Prince that "Haiti needs to stop changing history". The nation and its people have certainly been paying dearly for their unique place in the long history of the new world and beyond. History and power continue to extract their pounds of flesh. Even considering centuries of outside disruption, I fear Haiti has never been more vulnerable. Our work at the University General Hospital (HUEH) in Port-au-Prince and our communication with PIH colleagues nationwide in Haiti has been very sobering. I am returning to my family today with a very heavy heart and concern that is aching from my marrow or some place just as deep. I do not think the sadness has really begun to emerge, though I am deeply saddened.