Health Care

According to UNICEF, Haiti's health system is "on the verge of collapse" with six out of 10 hospitals in the country barely operational. UNICEF emphasised that violence, mass displacement, dangerous epidemics, and increasing malnutrition have put the country's already weakened health system under great strain but it may be supply chain breaks that cause it to collapse. Getting vital supplies, health care staff, and patients to where they need to be has become logistically challenging and dangerous due to gang-violence.  It remains unclear, even after all this time, when the Kenyan-led security force will arrive - and without security, access to health care will suffer.  The full BBC article by Jaroslav Lukiv follows.  

Good News! Upon having their generator stolen by a gang, the situation was grim for the Saint Croix Hospital in Leogane and the many people who depended upon it.  With the support of Miami Herald readers, a new generator was purchased and transported to Leogane by boat in order to avoid having it stolen by gangs again.  With their generous support the gang lost, the hospital re-opens, and much needed care can be provided to pregnant women.  A small group of people committed to Haiti made a real difference in this situation.  

A World Bank study recommends that Haiti and its donors focus less on building hospitals and more on preventative and primary care.  Haiti spends less than 5 percent of its budget on health care meaning that it must prioritize. The best run hospitals have long been managed by or co-managed with non-governmental organizations.  Public hospitals are in need of serious reform. Ninety pecent of operating budgets for hospitals are for payroll with an over-emphasis on administration.  Decentralization could potentially empower health facilities by allowing staff to make their own budgetary and human resource decisions.  The full article by Miami Herald journalist Jacqueline Charles follows.