Eghteen months after Katrina, one of the many problems facing New Orleans is medical care. "The New Orleans region lost some 11 hospitals to Katrina and remains mired in a health care crisis." (Times-Picayune, March 2, 2007) Hospitals were destroyed, records were lost, medical offices were flooded, and healthcare providers lost their homes. There is only one full service hospital open in the city. So what happens when returning citizens (or a willing volunteer like Bev) get sick?
Over a week ago one of the Habitat staff happened to mention "that nasty Katrina cough." Almost on cue I came down with a bad chest cold and was in bed for several days feeling wretched. One of my worries was whether we'd even be able to find medical help if we really needed it. Finally last Wednesday we tracked down a recently opened, walk-in medical clinic where I was seen quickly and professionally. Whether Katrina cough exists or not, I have acute bronchitis and am on the mend, perhaps just from knowing that there IS medical help available in New Orleans.
Each day on the news there are bright spots--the LSU dental clinic is almost ready to reopen, finally a trama center has reopened in a totally new facility, and a woman in the Lower 9th Ward rebuilt her home as a free health clinic which opened this week--but there is a long way to go in the recovery of medical care. Until there is adequate housing for doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, it will be a slow road.
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