By C. Latifi | Senior Resource Development Officer
Three and a half years after the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region, International Medical Corps continues its work to support health system strengthening in Haiti.
With International Medical Corps, the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) is piloting the “Agents de Santé Polyvalent,” or Multi-Purpose Health Worker, Program. This program replaces the previous mix of community-health worker initiatives from the government and various NGOs, putting in place a standardized education system supported by MSPP.
The current pilot program is located Les Cayes, a small city in the South Department. The program provides an intense and rigorous education program for the 29 participants from the region over the course of two years.
The first thirteen weeks of the program consist of lectures and presentations covering mathematics, physics, chemistry, communication, precautions, infection control, personal hygiene, community hygiene, environmental health, ethics and conduct, and community diagnosis. Following the lecture component, students then go to the field to practice what they have learned under supervision of MSPP staff.
As a part of this field visit, students must assess the community to determine what health issues exist. Following this assessment, they return to the community to provide information on the issues they encountered, including education on hygiene promotion and environmental hygiene.
International Medical Corps is proud to support MSPP and the future “Agents de Santé Polyvalent.” The Haitian government aims to eventually roll this program out countrywide, providing one health officer for every 1,000 Haitian people.
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