Director’s Blog: Let’s stand by Haiti at this time

As the events of the past few weeks have unfolded in Port-au-Prince, Haiti everyone in the country and elsewhere has been affected in one way or another. It is disheartening to hear of the assassination of the president of Haiti, a country where Konbit Sante has worked closely for the past 20 years. At this time, we continue to pray for the people of Haiti and hope for timely and thoughtful decisions in the days to come.

While the situation in Cap-Haitien, Haiti is calm at this time, we are uncertain as to what the future holds. What we do know is that at Konbit Sante, our work continues. We remain committed to our healthcare partners, colleagues, and collaborators in Cap-Haitien and we continue to stand by them. As such, we have continued our work in the various services at the hospital such as the monthly mortality reviews in the pediatric services. We are determining the implementation of a resident research training program. We are working with our collaborators who are clinicians to begin an ultrasound training program. We are raising funds with donors to implement solar panel projects at the hospitals.

In reflecting over the past month, what has become even more clear to me is that proper healthcare is a core human right. During times of crisis and challenges I have witnessed that this right is often compromised.

Our partners at various hospitals in Cap-Haitien are working diligently to identify their immediate needs. The need for fuel as well as oxygen for the various services, particularly pediatrics, has surfaced. Fuel shortages have often affected the country of Haiti and during times of emergency, fuel is one of the most basic needs. Fuel serves as a critical element for transportation in and around the country. Not only do hospitals use it for emergency vehicles, citizens need it for their personal cars as well as public transportation. Oxygen is widely used throughout the hospital in various services and it is a basic and essential component for saving lives. While some oxygen generators are broken and can’t be fixed due to the lack of appropriate parts, others are old and need to be replaced. We are actively working with the services and partners who have identified these urgent needs to find ways to address them, whether it is by providing resources in terms of funds or human power or thought partnership to determine solutions.

Our hearts drive the work we do and we want to express our commitment to stand by our partners in support. In the next few months, as the future of Haiti is being determined at the political level, we will stay connected to our partners, listen to their needs, and work hard to help them overcome the challenges that are presented today. Our goal and focus is to ensure that patients receive the optimum quality of care. We, at Konbit Sante, will continue to advocate for the healthcare rights of all the people of Haiti.

I want to thank you, our supporters, for all your prayers, encouragement, and kindness now and over the years. Thanks for standing by Haiti alongside us.