title: Building the Capacity to Manage Orthopaedic Trauma After a Catastrophe in a Low-Income Country.
abstract: Providing trauma care in an austere environment is very challenging, especially when the country is faced with a natural disaster. Unfortunately the combination of these elements highlights the deficiencies in managing orthopaedic trauma both in a developing country and in the face of a natural disaster, exponentially amplifying the effects of each. When considering the implementation and practice of orthopaedic trauma care in such an environment, one must consider the initial phase of program development and look further to the future in the development of a resilient program, which is sustainable. Through the use of the example of Haiti and a specific Non-Governmental Organization, we discuss the evidence for and thoughts behind developing orthopaedic trauma care program immediately after a natural disaster. This program aims to build capacity and empower a developing nation's health professionals to advance the care of orthopaedic trauma patients. We describe a model of capacity building that serves as a framework to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of low-to middle-income countries in providing orthopaedic trauma care when faced with such a challenge.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; †Office of the Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; and ‡Society of Haitian Orthopedic Surgeons, Port Au Prince, Haiti.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furey
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rourke
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D004190:Disasters; D019468:Disease Management; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000191:economics; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011203:Poverty; D016730:Program Development; D012066:Relief Work / Q000191:economics; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*