By Stephanie Springer - bio | email
TIFTON, GA (WALB) –A Tifton Orthopedic surgeon is getting ready to board a cargo plane full of medical supplies and head to Haiti.
With the help of friends and Senator Saxby Chambliss' office, Dr. James Scott was able to quickly arrange this trip and hopes it's the first of many.
When Dr. James Scott boards a cargo plane for Haiti Sunday, he's not sure how far he will get.
"I've been told that sometimes they just turn you around at the airport and send you back," said Scott.
Scott is traveling with a mission group based in Fort Pierce Florida.
"We are going to have all this equipment to distribute we really don't know where we are going to take it yet," said Scott.
And he's on a mission to help as many people possible.
"There are a lot of devices to fix fractures, hip nails and rods to fix broken bones. The main thing we are bringing over is cast materials," said Scott.
Once word got out that Dr. Scott was making the trip, companies called wanting to ship truck loads of equipment for the surgeon to take.
"We are going in an old cargo plane and we should get a lot of equipment in volume wise but weight is a different story. said Scott.
Dr. Scott says because of the abundance of equipment he will have to prioritize his trips.
"It's antibiotics and basic operating room equipment cast material and anesthesia equipment they just haven't had anything to give people prior to surgery," said Scott.
Dr. Scott plans to set up a tent to perform surgeries and treat patients,
"A lot of operations require some very specialized equipment but that's not what we can do there," said Scott.
Using the most basic equipment possible.
"We don't know if we can use our power drills so we have these hand powered drills that aren't as effective but can be useful it will just be slower," said Scott.
If Scott isn't able to stay, he hopes he can just drop off equipment.
"It's great to be able to correct some problem for someone and make it better that's just what we do and this is an opportunity to do more of it," said Scott.
Dr Scott plans to make several trips.
Aside from getting into the country, Dr. Scott is concerned about not having an x-ray machine. But he says he heard the Israeli Army set up a mobile clinic with x-ray capabilities and he hopes he can integrate with them.
And the need is certainly great.
Dr. Scott says some of the clinics are seeing as many as 5,000 patients a day.
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