Archive News
A real story on January 17, 2010
-- Francina’s Story
In the grounds of the Hope Hospital, in the Port-au-Prince neighbourhood of Delmas 75, 30 patients wait to be treated. Inside doctors struggle to cope with the huge influx of patients. Many lie on the floors waiting to be treated. The hospital had to close its gates to try to manage the number of people entering. Inside the grounds, people lie in the shade on makeshift stretchers. Some groan in agony of broken bones, some just stare ahead still in shock by the events of last Tuesday. 
Save the Children distributed hygiene supplies, food and water to hospital on January 16, 2010, Saturday. The relief items will also be distributed in the two orphanages supported by the foundation that runs the hospital. One of those waiting to be treated was Francina, 2, with her parents Louis Jean Mykanor, 32, and his wife Bertrice, 30.
Louis said “We live in Tabard, which is about 20 minutes from the hospital. We walked here to get Francina treated. Both my wife and I were at work when the earthquake happened. Francina was being looked after by her aunt. I ran home from work and found that the house was completely destroyed. I could not find Francina anywhere.
“A neighbour told me they had gone to the hospital to get treated. They were running out of the house when my sister fell. Bricks hit Francina when the house collapsed. She cut her face badly and we think she has broken her leg. That is why we are here now, to get an X-ray.
“We went to three hospitals trying to find Francina. We were frantic. It took us four hours until we found them.
“She is really scared now. Every time there is a loud noise she cries, and when there are aftershocks she is really terrified.
“We have not received any aid. We have not even eaten since Tuesday. We have not heard from all of our extended family — it is hard to get in touch with them because the phone network is still bad.
“We need everything, everything that you need to live. We have not been able to get anything form our house. Even the shirt I am wearing is from my friend.
“Now we are staying in our friend’s garden. We don’t have anything.
“I don’t think that we will get Francina’s X-ray today. There are so many people. Maybe we should come back tomorrow but maybe then we won’t even get into the hospital.”
Shortly after the interview Francina and her mother and father left the hospital compound. They did not got the X-ray.
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