WBUR Video: In ‘Decapitated’ Haiti, A Boston Nonprofit Mobilizes

BOSTON — A Boston woman who has worked to bring health care to millions of Haitians is now working to save their lives.

Ophelia Dahl is executive director of the nonprofit medical group Partners In Health, whose medical facilities in Haiti were established in 1985. Now that the nation’s main hospitals are destroyed, Dahl’s army of doctors and nurses on the ground is mobilizing to help people in Port-au-Prince.

“Haiti has been decapitated,” Dahl said. “Its capital city and major institutions, including relief organizations like the United Nations, whose job it would be to mobilize at a time like this, are in a state of terrible chaos.”

As part of the relief effort, Partners has been inundated with appeals from medical workers and local Haitian-Americans looking to volunteer.

“There will be and there is already enormous interest in going and helping,” Dahl said, “(including) obviously Haitians themselves in this very supportive community that is Boston.”

WBUR spoke with Dahl about Haiti and aid efforts at our studios.