“Ma, please don’t let me die…”
Posted on 17 January 2010
This was the plea of that 11-year old Haitian girl who died today. Trapped in the rubble and her legs pinned down. She was discovered two days after the quake that changed the landscape of Haiti.
She was eventually freed by the rescuers who labored hard to get her out. But it was too late. She died today because there were no medical people to attend to her – and no medical facilities and supplies that can take care of the damage done to her body.
I am watching CNN right now as pictures upon pictures of the devastation are being shown. I feel so uncomfortable because tomorrow here in the island of Bohol, 80 doctors from USA are coming to conduct a medical and surgical mission for free.
This has been arranged for many months now. Last year we supported them in Sorsogon and this time, it will be in Bohol. But in the light of the devastation and continuing deaths in Haiti – how I wished that these 8o doctors from the US are simply heading to Haiti tomorrow.
This island has been a recipient of so many medical missions annually – and sometimes, they sound nonchalant about it. This island is visited by medical team because I suspect, after the medical missions, the surrounding areas here are perfect for their rest and recreation. Bohol has become a tourist magnet for this country – but thankfully, not as loud and dirty and wild as Boracay Island.
CNN reported that the rescue doctors hurriedly left Haiti because of security threats… and I wish these 80 doctors majority are surgeons, oncologist and experts in their field, would be on their way to Haiti instead of Bohol.
There are more than 70 big boxes of medicines already stocked in the church hall… other medical and surgical equipment are on their way tomorrow.
We will remain grateful for these blessings. But I wish I could move heaven and earth and send these Fil-Am doctors to Haiti where they are needed the most.
It was reported that about 50,000 people have died. And they have been buried in massive graveyards. What is really sad about the whole thing is that the bodies are no longer tagged to be identified. Anderson Cooper of CNN struggled to maintain a semblance of composure when he answered Larry King and said ” all of these people just disappeared. No one would know who they were.”
Unlike the tsunami in 2004, recovered bodies were tagged and DNA testings were done so that people could come get their loved ones. Haiti could not do anything like that.
All these lives just simply disappeared.
This little girl did not just disappear… but what she said will definitely haunt us for a long, long time.
1 Response to “Ma, please don’t let me die…”
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Where are you from?
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good blog keep it up.