Haiti Mental Health

14:55

November 25, 2010

A Haitian boy suffering cholera symptoms receives treatment at a temporary hospital in Port-au-Prince. (AP)

It's been nearly a year since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, but for many survivors the psychological toll is still immense. Thousands lost loved ones. Many more are trying to cope with dark memories of the disaster while also adjusting to squalid conditions in tent cities.

Even before the quake, Haiti's mental health system was far from ideal. There were fewer than 20 psychiatrists for the 9.5 million people who live there. And then the country's two psychiatric hospitals were badly damaged by the earthquake.

Boston-based Partners in Health is one of the groups helping Haiti fill its mental health care void, but the organization's doctors are facing an uphill struggle.

Guests:

Giuseppe Raviola, director of mental health, Partners in Health
Father Eddy Eustache, director of mental health and psychosocial services, Partners in Health in Haiti

This program aired on November 25, 2010.