By Carwyn Hill | CEO and Co-founder
Earlier this summer we received the amazing news, that the UK Government has agreed to fund a major new community health programme in Haiti, that we'll be leading. This project will last three years, and significantly increase the number of community health workers in some of the most marginalised areas of North Haiti. It will include training 12 health agents, supporting 80 traditional birth attendants (TBAs), and running mobile health units for the poorest communities. Even this week, we provided the first round of training for 20 TBAs, equipping them with the skills to provide safer births for mums and babies.
You may be thinking, 'this is great news, the maternity and paediatric unit is now funded for three years!' Whilst this new programme is very exciting, unfortunately it does not cover the facility-based costs included in running the maternity and paediatric units at the hospital. In fact, it adds an even greater need, as we anticipate that the improved community intervention will increase the number of patients being referred to the hospital, making these units even more busy and critical. Even at our first mobile health clinic last month, a number of children were referred to the hospital with severe malnutrition. Half the population of Haiti earns less than $1US per day, so you can appreciate that malnutrition is a common problem, but one we can solve.
Aside from these referrals, in August the maternity unit provided 51 natural deliveries and a number of emergency C-Sections. The paediatric unit also cared for over 340 children last month!
Despite the increased number of patients we are witnessing, the financial support for these units remains critical, and your support is needed now more than ever. Together, we have the opportunity to provide lifesaving care to thousands of mothers, babies and children, but we need to work together. Could you share this project via Facebook, twitter or e-mail with your friends, family and colleagues? The more people we can get behind this work, the more lives can be saved. Please consider joining with us again, so we can keep these units open! Thanks for your continued love and support.
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