“It’s Definitely a Medical Crisis Right Now” Dr. Santo’s Describes Conditions in Puerto Rico
Saturday, October 21, 2017
It’s been four weeks since a Category 4 hurricane devastated Puerto Rico and Doctor Janice Santos with The Women's Medicine Collaborative is raising money and collecting supplies through various professional organizations to help provide relief for people on the island.
“It’s definitely a medical crisis right now, and we are in an emergency mode. Not even in a recovery phase,” Santos says.
Santos, who also serves as an assistant professor of urology at Brown University, says there are many medical challenges to overcome, including limited vaccinations, poor water supply, limited insulin and unreliable power sources at hospitals.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnother urgent need is a coordinated response for what she says is an imminent mental health crisis.
“Some of the most disturbing distress calls from physicians on the island are the reported suicides, which the government has yet to confirm, Santos says, “we do not yet know how many have occurred, or will occur in the future, but we know that the risk grows with each passing day of desperation.”
Santos grew up in Puerto Rico and received her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Puerto Rico.
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