My two weeks at HBS( Hôpital Bon Samaritain) in Limbé, Haiti this summer were very busy yet fulfilling. The Chikungunya virus has taken a toll on Haiti.
As a dermatologist from Canada, I quickly had to familiarize myself with this viral illness transmitted by infected mosquito bites.
Geralda, a 4 year old girl from Kay Mira, the hospital’s orphanage, was one of many who developed Chikungunya. The symptoms are fever, joint pains, headache and rashes. Geralda had a very high fever and rash for days.
We all worked around the clock to ensure that she had enough Tylenol and cold showers to keep her fever at bay. It was wonderful when her fever broke and she was back to her happy self.
I treated many HBS staff and out patients in the clinic with a variety of skin diseases, including rashes related to Chikungunya.
The boy in this picture has severe Congenital Ichthyosis, a type of severe eczema and he was given topical creams to help him.
