Overseas
An American physician shares stories and reflections from medical work in Haiti and Sierra Leone. The podcast focuses on patient experiences and the challenges of practicing medicine in resource-limited settings. It offers a personal perspective on global health and humanitarian work.
Episodes
Just Scratching the Surface
In this episode we discuss a little known disease that runs rampant around the world.
Flying blind
In this episode we discuss the case of a woman who presented with blurry vision and facial weakness.
History of Sierra Leone, Part 3: Ending the Slave Trade
In this episode we talk about the central role of Sierra Leone in ending the slave trade.
A Neck Mass
In this story we tell the story of a woman who has had a neck mass for nearly a decade.
History of Sierra Leone, Part 2: The Colds of Canada
In this multi-part series we look at this history of Sierra Leone. In this episode, the people who will eventually found Sierra Leone languish in Canada.To learn more about the work of Pont Global Medicine, visit www.pontglobalmedicine.org.
History of Sierra Leone, Part 1: Fleeing America
In this multi-part series we look at this history of Sierra Leone. In this episode, former slaves flee the American colonies with the surrendering British.To learn more about the work of Pont Global Medicine, visit www.pontglobalmedicine.org.
PJP Pneumonia
In this episode we talk about the case of a child with HIV and PJP pneumonia.To learn more about the work of Pont Global Medicine, visit www.pontglobalmedicine.org.
Expanding Borders
In this podcast we catch back up on work in Haiti and discuss the decision to expand to Sierra Leone.To learn more about the work of Pont Global Medicine, visit www.pontglobalmedicine.org.
Anatomy of a Crisis: Part 6, The Veil is Removed
In this episode, we continue our discussion of the fall of the Haitian state.For the first five episodes:Episode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5
Anatomy of a Crisis: Part 5, The Powerless Leader
In this episode, we continue the story of the collapse of the Haitian state. To start from the beginning, follow the below links:Episode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4
Haitian Lives: Emilio Alexis
In this episode we interview Emilio Alexis. We trace his life from a small village in the South of Haiti to University in Port-au-Prince to work at the Lespwa Timoun clinic and finally the decision to flee the country in the midst of unimaginable violence.
Haiti and Somalia: Interventions, Part 6
In this last episode of our series on military interventions in Haiti, we look at how the US military acts around the globe--from Somalia, to Niger, to Jordan and the Philippines. And then we will examine if this model will fit Haiti.
What Bosnia and Sierra Leone can teach us about Haiti: Intervention Part 5
In this episode we look at times in history when the world stepped in to prevent tragedies. In particular, we will look briefly at the British in Sierra Leone and NATO in Bosnia and try to extract lessons that can be used in Haiti today.
A long, hard 15 years: Interventions Part 4
In this episode, we discuss the 15 year US/UN occupation of Haiti from 2004-2019.
Operation Uphold Democracy: Interventions Part 3
In this episode, we discuss the US invasion of Haiti in 1994. We will talk about the basic story, what went well and what we can learn.
American Colony: Intervention Part 2
In this second episode, we talk about the US invasion of Haiti in 1915. US troops would stay and manage the country for 20 years, changing the country forever.
An Intubation: Intervention Part 1
In this series, we will look at past US and UN military interventions in Haiti. We will try to see how this history can inform our decisions about what to do in Haiti today.
November Update on the Gang Situation in Haiti
In lieu of an audio podcast, we have done a video podcast this week. We feel that following a map will make this discussion easier. Please click on the below to view it!https://youtu.be/nFvALW8XyJM
Martine
In this story, medical director Donald Valdema tells the story of Martine*, a little girl from the mountains of Crochu. *Please note: Name changed to preserve anonymity.
Haiti and Louisiana
In this episode we look at the Louisiana Purchase, that most significant of American expansions, and how it wouldn't have happened without the soldiers of Haiti.
Cholera
This week, for the first time in 3 years, cholera has been detected in Port-au-Prince. We discuss the implications and history.
Adding Fuel to the Fire
In this episode, we discuss the latest crisis in Haiti. The last 9 days have led to an outpouring of discontent leading to widespread destruction. We trace the roots of this crisis and how we got here.
Haitian Lives: Dr. Donald Valdema
In this episode, we interview Dr. Donald Valdema. We trace his life from the desolate island of La Gonave, Haiti where he watched his parents build their first clinic. Then, we talk about leaving Haiti after the earthquake for medical school in the Dominican Republic and finally back to Haiti as the medical director at the Lespwa Timoun clinic.
Juice Carts, Eyeglass shops, Home Depot and Lowe's
In this episode we delve behind the curtain of a phenomenon we often see in the developing world.Link to video explanation of Hotelling's Law: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jILgxeNBK_8
The Bayakou
In this episode we look at how the sewage system works--or doesn't work--in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Many thanks to the New Yorker and the Associated Press for their reporting on this subject.
Why are Haitians always so clean?
In this episode we talk about one of the first things that will strike you as you visit Haiti. Despite the dirty, muddy environment, most Haitians are impeccably dressed and groomed.
Journalism and the Truth in Haiti
In this episode we talk about how to discern the truth in a country without a robust media.
Rice Wars
In this episode we discuss the intersection of a fateful US decision back in 1995 and how in the world Bill Clinton and Haitian rice farmers are linked.
Skin in the Game
In this episode we talk about whether giving malaria bed nets out for free is better than having people pay a small fee. Is it good for patients to have skin in the game? And then, we talk about what this has to do with medicine in Haiti.
Perdition
In this episode, we talk about the Haitian belief of Perdition. This is the common acceptance that women can be pregnant with one child for years or even decades.In producing this episode, we are grateful for the excellent journal article, "Women in Perdition" by Gerald Murray.
City of Gangs, Part 3: Croix-des-Bouquets
In this last of our series on the current state of Haitian gangs, we examine Croix-des-Bouqets, the land of the mawozo.Please note: There will not be a new episode on 5/25. We will return the week after!
City of Gangs, Part 2: South Port-au-Prince
In this second of our three part series on the gangs of Port-au-Prince, we examine the south side of the city, particularly the area of Martissant. Before you listen, we encourage you to watch this video that will help you visualize it. If you would like to follow along with a map, click on this link.
City of Gangs, Part 1: Downtown Port-au-Prince
In this first of a three part series on the gangs of Port-au-Prince, we will discuss Barbeque and the formation of G9. We encourage you to view the following video prior to the podcast to better visualize the situation. If you would like to follow along with a map, just click on this link.
Haitian Proverbs 2
In this episode we look at more Haitian Proverbs and how they intersect in real life.
Community Health in Nigeria: Dr. Ibipo Salami
In this episode, we turn to a different country: Nigeria. We talk with Dr. Salami, a 10-year veteran of community health in rural Nigeria, about her experiences in medicine both in Africa and the United States.
Why is Haiti poor, part 4: It's not just the earthquake
In this last episode of our series on the causes of poverty in Haiti, we talk about the last 35 years.
Why is Haiti poor, part 3: The Good Doctor
In this third of four episodes on why Haiti is poor, we discuss the legacy of the dictator of Haiti, Papa Doc.
Why is Haiti poor, part 2: The Debt
In this episode, we talk about what was happening in Haiti right after independence. The world turns its back on the first black republic.
"Why is Haiti so poor?"
In this episode, we examine the most common question that I am asked.
Inflation
Americans are feeling inflation everywhere. But what can we learn from a country that has dealt with this for decades?
The Police
In this episode we talk about the difficulty and challenges facing the Haitian National Police every day.
The Lougawou
Today, we are going to talk about the Lougawou--the Haitian werewolf. Knowledge of this belief is essential to treating children and understanding disease in Haiti.
Paul Farmer
In this episode, we remember the life of a remarkable doctor to the poor in Haiti.
Haitian Proverbs
In this episode, we look at and explain some of Haiti's most popular proverbs.
Microfinance and Savings Groups, featuring Colton Parks
In our first interview at Overseas, we talk about an important piece to improving the business environment in developing countries--microfinance and savings groups. We talk about their pros and cons and how they can help communities build a brighter future together.
How to Build a Business in Haiti
In this episode, we turn to the business side of Haiti. For several episodes, we will talk about what it looks like to do commerce in Haiti.
An Ode to Things
In this episode, we talk how jarring it was to visit the United States from Haiti.
How to Save a Life
In this episode we look at those things that can save the life of a child or mother and how widespread these practices are in our communities.
Surveying the Community
In this episode, we talk about some of the results from our first health survey. Performed in the little hamlets of Crochu and Boucan Boyer, it told a surprising story about the communities.
Divisions: Race
In this episode we delve into history to breakdown the racial tensions within Haiti.
Telemedicine
In this episode we talk about setting up a telemedicine system in Haiti.
Messages of Forgiveness
In this episode we talk about the surprising messages of love and forgiveness that kidnapping victims in Haiti are sending to the world.
Divisions: Location
In this episode, we talk about another major dividing line in Haiti--how people are divided by location. We talk about the differences between those in the countryside, those in the cities and those that live overseas.
Haitian Lives: Cheche, Young Life Haiti
In this episode, we tell the remarkable and unlikely story of Cheche, the founder of Young Life Haiti.
Divisions: Language
In this episode, we will talk about one of the main divisions in Haiti, the division between French speakers and Creole speakers.
What are we waiting for?
In this episode we will talk about something we Americans despise.
Locked Up Abroad
In this episode we discuss a prison outbreak in Haiti and this leads to a deeper discussion of what it is like to be in prison in Haiti.
Haitian Lives: Dr. Lolo
In this episode we talk about the life of one of our doctors, Therilien Lolo. We will talk about the tenacity and grit that it took for him to become what he is today.
Gangs, Gas and Mortality
In this episode we discuss the wide reaching effects of the current gang crisis in Haiti.
Kidnappings
In the wake of the kidnapping of 17 American and Canadian missionaries, we examine the security situation in Haiti.
Two Children
On this episode we tell the story of two young patients and through their stories we talk about the importance of proactivity.
Gas and Circuses
In this episode, we talk about the gas situation in Haiti--what it is like to live in a country with frequent shortages and, more importantly, why those shortages occur.
Enduring Stress and Anxiety in Haiti
In this episode we talk about two patients dealing with stress and anxiety and what it tells us about mental health in Haiti.
Earthquakes, Part 5 of 5: August 14, 2021
In the last of our series on earthquakes in Haiti, we talk about the damage from the earthquake this year.
Earthquakes, Part 4 of 5: Partners in Health
In this episode we talk about an organization that succeeded in helping to rebuild Haiti after the earthquake and how they pulled it off.
Earthquakes, Part 3 of 5: The American Red Cross
In this episode, we talk about the confluence of factors that led the American Red Cross, an organization with a long history of good work in the United States, to struggle to effect any change in Haiti.
Earthquakes, Part 2 of 5: The Relief Effort
In the second of a five part series on Haitian earthquakes, we discuss in broad terms the challenges faced during the relief effort in 2010.
Earthquakes, Part 1 of 5: January 12, 2010
In this first of a five part series, we discuss the facts of what happened in 2010 in hopes that it will help us understand the 2021 earthquake. An additional podcast that provides first-hand accounts of the earthquake can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voices-of-haiti/id1494500376
Natasha
In this episode we tell the story of Natasha and her mother and explore the difficulties of taking care of children with neurologic conditions.
Going Electronic
In this episode we talk about how the Lespwa Timoun moved from paper to electronic. And wait...before you tune out and think it is boring, remember that everything in Haiti is anything but mundane.
Much Ado about Voodoo
In this episode we talk about the most intriguing of subjects--Haitian Voodoo. What is it? How did it start? Is it still around?
Mangoes, Eggs and Goats
In this episode we tell the story of a young pregnant woman, but the story is not what you think.
Independence
Today we talk about something that embodies what it means to be Haitian (and American)--a spirit of independence.
To Hospitalize or Not To Hospitalize
In this episode we discuss a two difficult cases and the challenge of deciding when to send a patient to the hospital.
Where are the Vaccines?
In this episode we talk about why Haiti, at the time of this recording, was one of the only countries in the world to have not given a single dose of the coronavirus vaccine. And the reasons are not what you think.
Anatomy of a Crisis, Part 4: July 7, 2021
In this unexpected fourth part of a series on the current crisis in Haiti, we discuss the assassination of Haiti's president.
Anatomy of a Crisis, Part 3: Warlords
In the last of a three part series on the current crisis in Haiti, we discuss the condition of Haiti as it stands today.
Anatomy of a Crisis, Part 2: The Government Starts to Collapse
In the second of our two part series on the current crisis in Haiti, we discuss how the government weakens to the point that it is no longer able to exert control.
Anatomy of a Crisis, Part I: The Rise of the Gangs
In the first of a three part series, we delve back in recent history to discover how armed groups started in Haiti.
Morbidity: The story of Millie
In this episode we talk about the tragic case of Millie and how we faced failure together.
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