| President’s Message: December 2008 | ||||
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 The Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad is one the oldest and most prestigious professional Haitian organizations outside of Haiti. At its inception in 1972, the vision of the Founders was to serve as advocate for the Haitian immigrant community in health related matters, and cultivate professional alliances between healthcare providers of Haitian descent.More than thirty-five years later, the South Florida Chapter alone numbers more than 350 healthcare professionals of Haitian lineage, who provide care not just to the Haitian immigrant community, but now represent the largest non-Hispanic minority physician workforce in South Florida. We’ve also extended our alliances beyond our community, and now partner with the James Wilson Bridges Medical Society, a local affiliate of the National Medical Association, to be among the Founders of the New College of Medicine at the Florida International University. We’ve certainly made great progress and overcame some significant challenges, but many of us still remain passive and distant to the Organization. Can we really afford not to get involved? Can we afford not to have a seat at the table when policies to address healthcare disparities are being discussed at a local and regional level? Can we remain silent when there’s still so much misinformation on the airwaves in our community, exposing our fellow compatriots to potentially dangerous health behaviors? Can we ignore the plight of our brothers and sisters back home in the face of so much devastation caused by the recent hurricanes and floods? Can we stay mute when the next overzealous scientist will target Haiti once again as the “stepping-stone” for the HIV epidemic in the United States? NO WE CAN’T. If you think it’s important that our voices be heard in the debate regarding health inequities; if you think we should provide reliable and culturally sensitive health education programs to the Haitian-American community; If you believe it’s our duty to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti; if you think that health care is a right and not a privilege; if you believe that we should provide medical care to all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, religion, or immigration status, then we need your support and your contribution. Each of us can contribute individually to our separate causes, but our impact would be a lot greater if our action is collective and coordinated. I am looking forward to your input and active collaboration during the next two years, in order to continue to carry out the mission and the vision of our Founders. Thank you and Happy Holidays! Herold Merisier, MD, FAAFP Diplomate American Board of Family Medicine President AMHE South Florida Chapter |