Friends: Over the past few weeks, a prolonged political and economic crisis—a direct result of a lack of investment in the public sector and a long history of oppression—has escalated into open violence and political instability across Haiti. Donate now to help provide health care during the crisis >>
Because of roadblocks and other dangers, community members and patients cannot safely get to us to seek life-saving care and treatment, and our community health workers struggle to make daily home visits to check on their most vulnerable patients. Communities also remain isolated from each other, and telephone and internet communication are limited, with many fiber optic cables damaged or purposely tampered with or cut.
This is severely degrading the Haitian health system’s ability to provide care as a human right. But, that is not to say all is lost. Far from it.
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Resident physicians train in emergency medicine at a PIH-supported facility in Haiti (Partners In Health). |
This crisis has been going on for years, during which time, the Zanmi Lasante team (as PIH is known in Haiti) is a distinct pocket of hope.
New medical training programs are graduating Haitian specialists who have turned around and begun caring for their neighbors. In fact, in 2021, Zanmi Lasante admitted 46 new students to its medical residency and fellowship programs across 11 different specialties, including surgery, pediatrics, and emergency medicine—caregivers who are busy caring for patients right now in extremely challenging circumstances.
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At the time this message is being written, not one of Zanmi Lasante’s 17 facilities has closed or been forced to stop care despite critical fuel and food shortages.
No woman should give birth in unsafe conditions; Haitians should not have to choose between safety and life-saving surgeries or cancer care, and no newborn should die because the generators ran out of fuel and her incubator couldn't stay warm. We can help keep health care available, together. In solidarity, The PIH Team |
