Run a Maternity and Neonatal Unit in Haiti

As we approach Christmas, we always focus our attention on our neonatal work to ensure we raise enough funds to continue and develop this vital service. Since 2012 our Neonatal Unit (NICU) has been the best place in the north of Haiti for a baby to receive care. Because of this the number of babies being brought to us increases every year meaning the amazing staff are pushed to their capacity day in day out. But what they can achieve with limited resources is incredible.

I wanted to tell you about the story of a baby girl born on 17th September 2017 at our hospital. She was born by caesarean section and weighed just 1.6kg. She was immediately hospitalised at the NICU the same day as she was a premature baby, born at 33 weeks.

Her mother was an adolescent girl, aged 16, who came from the north east of Haiti. She was living with a man (not married) and did not receive pre-natal care as she was too poor. Tragically, she died some hours after giving birth following complications caused by severe eclampsia.

2 days later, the father of the baby left, leaving the baby abandoned at the hospital. The extreme poverty that occurs in Haiti can make parents feel they cannot care for their children with their only option being to abandon them. It’s a very sad but real situation the hospital staff face all too regularly.

The baby was very sick and needed the full care of all the staff at the NICU and the focus and direction of the hospital was mobilised to save her. As a consequence, the baby was able to receive all the necessary care including medication, oxygen, breathing support, phototherapy, blood transfusions, full laboratory tests and investigations. She was given formula baby milk, nappies, clothing and all the love and affection of personal care.

The baby is now 54 days old. She weighs 2.63kg and is in good health. As for the father, the hospital has had no news of him since. The baby was first nicknamed Mal-pou-gras meaning “hard to gain weight”, because although she fed a lot, she didn’t seem to gain much weight. She is a beautiful baby and has been named Annabelle.

Despite Annabelle’s tragic start in life, the care she receives at the hospital means there is hope for her. She has the chance of a healthy life and the hospital staff will do everything in their power to ensure she is looked after by a loving family. It is not uncommon for hospital staff themselves to adopt abandoned children, such is their love and dedication for those they work to help. 

This Christmas we have hope for Annabelle and it’s thanks to your support that this hope exists. Thank you and we wish you the very best for the coming festive season.

Links:

• HHA infant health work

July is budget time at the hospital in Haiti and it's often a time that can highlight the impact that we've had in the last year, but also the remaining needs and challenges. As co-founders and principle partners, HHA plays its part in setting the future direction of the hospital. 

The truth is, thanks to the support of all of our amazing friends, there is so much to be positive about in Haiti, especially in the field of maternal health. With more mothers than ever giving birth in hospital and our community outreach programme delivering health education and safe home birthing to marginalised mothers all over the Cap-Hatien region, the impact our programmes and the facility care being developed cannot be understated.

Growth in hospital deliveries and neonatal patients has been staggering over the last year, fuelled by the government hospital strikes. In response, increasing the hospital's capacity to meet the regional needs in maternity and neonatal care is a top priority for the coming year and future years. But for an organisations with limited resources, decisions to invest in one area often come at a cost for another.

Too many times have the medical staff been faced with heart wrenching situations where the lack of specialist medical staff, or lack of essential equipment, has meant someone has gone without the care they need. One critical shortage for our hospital is that we only have one anaesthetist to cover all surgeries. On numerous occasions he would be in an operation at the same time as another required emergency surgery; the result is sometimes tragic. So this year, the decision was jointly made to recruit a second anaesthetist to reduce the chances of this in the future.

However, this decision will mean that other parts of the hospital have reduced support or face closure. For organisations working in the developing world with limited resources, these kind of budgeting dilemmas are part of our work and something we have to face.

There are many good news stories from the investment in hospital services. Thanks to your support, the hospital's first ever blood bank is now complete and for years to come will help countless lives be saved with quick and reliable access to blood. As ever challenges still remain with a national blood shortage leading to a delay in the opening of the new service. But we're delighted this important new service will be opening soon.

Thank you so much for your continued support.

Links:

• HHA maternal health work