When Dr. Robert Fuller flew into the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Maria and assessed some 30 medical clinics on the island of Puerto Rico, he asked every single hospital he walked into the same question: What do you need? They all had the same answer: Fuel, a generator, and cash.
It's been over two weeks since Hurricane Maria, and Puerto Rico's health system remains crippled. Access to clean water and electricity is scarce, and the risk of water-borne and mosquito-borne illnesses are growing as they fester in the deadly combination of unsanitary conditions in areas with little to no access to aid.
The death toll doubled last week from 16 to 34, and just 17 of the island's 69 hospitals are connected to the power grid, according to the office of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló. Though progress has been made, largely in the capital city of San Juan, the hurricane decimated power lines and left over half of the population without running water. Recovery is expected to be slow—and that's the best case scenario.
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