Health Care Need in Haiti

The Project

Housing Works and a coalition of other New York City-based nonprofits, in collaboration with two AIDS groups in Haiti, had two clinics up and running in Port-au-Prince within days of the earthquake. Small organizations with existing ties to areas hit by disaster can work nimbly and have a profound impact. Our goal is to keep these clinics staffed by rotating volunteer medical personnel through April 30, 2010, then make the clinics permanent.

The Clinics

One clinic is a general/family clinic in Port-au-Prince in the extremely poor area near Avenue Popelard. The other is focused on serving HIV-positive individuals and their families and is located on Rue Cheriez. Both are open-air clinics and have basic medications, equipment, and medical and charting supplies. One clinic is next to a building that is still standing, allowing staff to use running water/restroom facilities.

In the last week, we have begun setting up a third clinic in St.-Marc, north of Port-au-Prince. Located outside of the earthquake zone, the St.-Marc facility will serve Haitians living with HIV/AIDS and their families .

The Need

Doctors and nurses are required to staff the clinics. The specialties most needed are ER, surgery, pediatrics, and infectious disease. French-speaking mental health professionals can also make a tremendous impact.

Timeline & Commitment

Medical personnel can sign up for any shift through April 2010. By February, when the initial trauma-phase ends, more general medical services will be needed. Shifts are general scheduled for one and two week increments, not including travel time.

Finance

The groups involved are expending their limited resources on direct aid for Haitians, including nutritional support and basic supplies. Volunteers are asked to pay for all personal expenses, including their own plane fare to the Dominican Republic (D.R.), and their food and personal items purchased there. Island transport will be covered.

Safety

Looting in Haiti has been over-reported, but it does exist. Supplies and camping are in a contained courtyard, guarded 24-hours a day through a relationship with Haitian authorities.

Logistics

As of late January, volunteer staff fly to Santo Domingo and are met by project staffers. They purchase supplies in D.R. and travel in SUV/van to Haiti. Our local drivers pass the border easily, though the trip can require an overnight at a hotel. M/W/F are the preferred arrival days in D.R.

Blog

Charles King, Housing Works President and CEO, is blogging from Haiti.