Since the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which killed 220,000 people, the Hearts and Hands for Haiti (HHH) charity has sent three medical teams to the devastated Caribbean country, and has now enabled Dr Ogedad Pierre, a young Haitian doctor, to complete a three-month internship at Dunedin Hospital.
Prof Jean-Claude Theis, from Dunedin Hospital, who has visited Haiti three times as part of an HHH medical team, said the charity's latest move of bringing Dr Pierre to Dunedin Hospital for specialised training promised long-term benefits for Haiti.
"He is an orthopaedic surgeon in training, and I have worked with him on two occasions. The reason for him coming here is so he can experience ... a well organised health system, so he can go back and make some changes.
"I identified him as a potential leader and once he is fully trained he can take on this role and try to implement some change."
One million people in the city of Cap Hatien were served by just one paediatric surgeon, Prof Theis said, and there was little experience of children's surgery and trauma treatment.
The charity would provide further assistance to Haiti's medical profession, he said.
In order to help pay the $11,000 needed for Dr Pierre's training, the Rotary Club of Waitaki will run a charity auction at The Homestead in Oamaru, next Wednesday.
Rotary Club president Paul Mortimer said HHH, which was founded by a group of North Otago doctors and interdenominational churches in 2010, was making a "real difference" to Haitians.
The main hospital in Cap Hatien had been "wrecked" in the earthquake and although doctors and equipment had been donated from around the world, Haitians needed to be trained to use and repair the equipment.
"These guys have gone over there and helped to get their hospital back up and running."
