Haiti is no a stranger to natural disasters. 220,000 people were killed and 1.5 million were left homeless when a massive 7.0 earthquake struck the nation on 12th January 2010.

Haiti is known for its vulnerability to landslides, floods, tropical storms, earthquakes and tsunamis. Climate models predict that these natural disasters are likely to become more intense and frequent in the coming years. In the last decade, Haiti suffered an estimated £600 million in hurricane-related damage.

A Vulnerable Healthcare System
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the region. Its healthcare is expensive which leaves it out of reach for the country’s poorest.

Haiti has the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in that part of the world. The leading causes of death are diarrhoea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Haiti’s capacity to protect its citizens and develop an efficient healthcare system that is capable of responding effectively in times of crisis is weak. About a third of the country’s healthcare facilities are operated by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

Doctors of the World’s Involvement
Doctors of the World has been strongly involved in Haiti since 1996. We train hospital surgical staff, care for victims of violence in Port-au-Prince, organised a hospital refurbishment in Jeremie, and provide free primary health care for children under the age of five and pregnant women in Grande-Anse.

As we already had a team on the ground, we were able to respond rapidly after a hurricane ravaged the country in 2008. Thousands of houses were destroyed and the water system was damaged, causing the spread of severe contagious diseases. We set up two mobile clinics providing ante-natal care services, nutritional screening for children aged between 6 months and 5 years old, as well as helping patients suffering from malnutrition.