Port-au-Prince, June 24, 2022 --- The Representative of UNFPA Haiti, the United Nations agency responsible for reproductive health in Haiti, Saidou Kabore, visited on June 21, 2022, at Asile , in the department  “Nippes”, the hospital granted by the Kingdom of Luxembourg to Haiti, with the support of UNFPA.

"This small structure includes an operating theater and will provide all the health services provided by the community reference hospital (HCR) before its collapse by the earthquake of August 14, 2021", indicated the Departmental Health Director of Nippes.

The hospitainer will provide services to all patients with surgical, obstetrics and gynecology needs, added Jacques Laroche.

This hospitainer includes the other structures that accompany an operating room, said the Medical Director of the community reference hospital of “Asile”.

Among these structures, Sonel Févry mentions a space for observation, a space for partial assessments and space for an emergency delivery.

The hospitainer is dedicated specifically to women of childbearing age and pregnant women, said Dr. Laroche. It will also be possible to receive men and anyone requiring non-major surgery.

“In case of complications during childbirth, we would no longer be obliged to refer patients to Fond des Blancs, Miragoâne and Bonne Fin,” said the nurse and gender-based violence trainer. We will now be able to take care of them, said Délius Éluderne.

"We will then contribute to reducing deaths, especially neonatal ones, because women will be able to be operated on in time", she mentioned.

"In addition to giving Haiti the hospitainer, Luxembourg helped us set it up," said the Departmental Health Director of Nippes.

“We will have to make it functional thanks to the steps of UNFPA with the Kingdom to support the Ministry of Public Health and Population in its quest to restore the health services provided by the community reference hospital of Asile before its collapse”.

The southern part of Haiti was hit by an earthquake which caused considerable damage in the three departments (Sud, Grand'Anse and Nippes) in August 2022. Several health institutions, schools and households were damaged. Several health structures were destroyed, including the community reference hospital of “Asile” in the “Nippes” and the health facilities in Coteaux.

Health services having been interrupted, UNFPA wanted to provide the departments “Nippes” and  “Sud” with complete structures called hospitainers which allow the management of surgical cases including emergencies and obstetric complications. They are intended to restore services interrupted after the earthquake. The Hospitainers are installed at Asile (Nippes) and at Camp Perrin (Sud).

Text and photo: Vario Sérant

Texte traduit du Français à l’Anglais par :

Jhunie Laura Ganème et Michael Johnson Leger,

Officiers communautaire