Sheffield based surgical instrument manufacturer, Platts and Nisbett, is donating a range of specialist instruments to surgeons working in the disaster torn capital of Haiti, after hearing about a relative’s heroic actions to rescue a survivor who had been trapped underground for 11 days.
Alyson Nisbett, Director of the family run business, was so touched after seeing pictures of family member Carmen Michalska pulling the 24-year-old man to safety that she contacted medical aid agency Merlin to see what she could do to help.
Alyson’s cousin Carmen, rescued the Haitian gentleman hours after the official search had been called off by the authorities, after hearing a noise coming from under the rubble.
Being small, she was able to crawl into the tomb-like space to look for a survivor where she found the man who had been trapped down there for more than a week, unable to move and fearing he was buried alive.
Alyson said: “When I saw the pictures of people suffering and Carmen’s heroic actions I just wanted to do something to help. Being a surgical manufacturer donating instruments to surgeons on the ground treating survivors just made perfect sense. As well as needing immediate surgery, thousands of people affected by the earthquake will need surgery in the future as a result of their injuries so ensuring they have the right equipment and instruments is vital”.
Merlin is a UK aid agency that specialises in providing healthcare for people at times when they are in need of it most. They have been working flat out to get supplies and medical equipment to Haiti since the disaster struck on 12 January 2010.
After getting in touch with the charity they linked Platts and Nisbett up with the teams of surgeons on the ground and also sent out copies of the company’s brochure on USB sticks with aid parcels so that clinicians could choose themselves which instruments they needed the most.
All Platts & Nisbett products are manufactured in-house, allowing the creating of bespoke instruments. Manufactured in Sheffield the equipment will be shipped over to Haiti by charity Merlin.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the charity is Sheffield Theatre Nurse Angela Knock, who has just flown back from Haiti after spending two weeks helping people who had been injured in the disaster.
Angela, who works at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital, said: “Every year natural disasters leave people in need of medical help at a time when the services on which they once relied are destroyed. The people of Haiti urgently need our help and thanks to companies like Platts & Nisbett we are able to send much needed medical supplies over to help save more lives.
“I am also extremely grateful as well to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, who without whose support I would not have been able to leave at 36hrs notice.”
Since the devastating earthquake rocked Port-au-Prince in January, Merlin has shipped over 33 tonnes of supplies to Haiti, including enough medicines and equipment for a population of 70,000 for the next three months alone.
Each emergency is different and requires specific items depending on the type of response Merlin launches and in the case of Haiti, this has ranged from surgical instruments and specialist medical equipment such as a portable ultrasound and skin grafting kit, generators and solar kits to be able to run equipment and maintain communications.
Merlin will be staying in Haiti for as long as it is needed , working closely with local partners, the Ministry of Health and other NGOs to rehabilitate and re-equip clinics, as well as train local health workers.
Medilink Yorkshire and Humber are joining Platts and Nisbett in this charitable endeavour, by providing awareness raising communications support.
To find out more about Merlin’s work or to make a donation visit their website