Haiti Ministry Report Fiscal Year 2016

Transcription

1 Haiti Ministry Report Fiscal Year 2016 "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Colossians 3:23

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3 Dear MBF Partners in Ministry We are pleased to share this encouraging report on God s work in Haiti. Your ministry is bringing health to so many people who would otherwise not have access to medical care. It is also spreading hope by proclaiming the good word of our Lord. In his book, The Road Ahead, Bill Gates wrote, We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don t let yourself be lulled into inaction. Bill verbalizes, so succinctly the greatest challenge of our ministry together. We are committed to building sustainable health care ministries in developing countries. Doing that takes time. It takes commitment. And it takes patience. Building sustainable medical ministries in some of the poorest countries around the globe isn t easy. But it s a goal that MBF and our ministry partners have been committed to for over 50 years. Through our experience we have come to learn that simply sending supplies and equipment, or even doctors and nurses, is not enough any more. If we are to truly make an impact, we must work beside our international partners and not for them. We must provide them with access to resources, tools and best practices that will align with the health needs and cultural diversity of the communities they are working to serve. We must help them educate a health care workforce that has the skills, competencies and training to meet the health needs of tomorrow s populations. We must guide them in not only improving the quality of health care, but also increasing access for those most in need. Most importantly, we must support them in creating a spiritual ministry that will provide healing not just for the body, but also the soul. On behalf of our partners in Haiti and the men, women and children they serve, we thank you for your continued and faithful ministry. Together we have accomplished much this past year and we are inspired by how much more there is to do. We will not be lulled into inaction. We take God at His word and know He will accomplish great things. Blessings, E. Andrew Mayo, CEO MBF

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5 Haiti Ministry Report Report Time Frame Fiscal Year 2016 Total Fiscal Year 2016 Funds $363,500 Program Support $140,800 Hôpital Ste. Croix Page 7 $132,700 Darbonne Women & Child Health Clinic Page 13 $90,000 FSIL Page 17 Over the past decade, Haiti has become almost synonymous with disaster. In 2008, over the course of just three weeks the country was hit with storms Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike, killing 800 and causing $8 billion in damage. In 2010, the magnitude 7 earthquake killed hundreds of thousands and devastated the country as a whole. The cholera outbreak that followed soon after was the largest in the world in recent history. Then three consecutive years of drought has put malnutrition rates above emergency levels according to UNICEF. And, most recently, when president Martelly stepped down early in 2016, it left the nation in a power vacuum and threatened the country s already fragile democracy. Yet, despite the onslaught of natural disasters, disease, famine and political unrest, the people of Haiti continue to persevere. They are strong and faithful and eager to build a better life for themselves and their families. MBF has been working with partners in Haiti since 1982 when it began construction of the FSIL nursing school. Over the years, we have added new partners and expanded our ministries. We know that change takes time, but we are committed to building sustainable health care for the people of Haiti. 5

6 Map of Haiti Partners Hôpital Ste. Croix Darbonne Maternal & Child Health Clinic FSIL 6

7 Partner Hôpital Ste. Croix Project Operations Goal Hôpital Ste. Croix (HSC) is the primary hospital in the Léogâne region, serving the neediest in the community. Moving from a state of recovery to one of growth, HSC is focused on future growth as it works to expand is service lines and treatment options. Activities Funded 28,400 Outpatient visits 3,100 Inpatient visits 1,000 Deliveries Campus Master Plan Roof Repairs on Patient Building Various Operational Projects 2016 Funds $140,800 Project Overview Hôpital Sainte Croix (HSC) is located in Léogâne, twenty miles west of Port-au-Prince. HSC started as a small outpatient clinic in 1968 and has grown to become a 60-bed regional medical facility serving the greater Léogâne region of Haiti. It serves about 135,000 people in the local region as well as a greater referral area of about 1 million. After the 2010 earthquake that destroyed many of the buildings on the HSC campus, it was unclear if the hospital would ever recover. For a time it looked as though the hospital would close and the people of the Léogâne region would be left with virtually no options for health care, even at the most basic level. But much like the Haitian people, HSC would not be discouraged. Over the last several years, MBF has been working with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti to move the hospital from a state of recovery to one of development and growth. Progress has been slow, but it has been steady. In recent years, the hospital has 7

8 emerged to grow its service lines and treatment options, improve operating efficiency, and it has begun to look to the future and set goals to eventually achieve sustainability. Building on the success from the previous year, HSC has been able to complete several projects that will help it better serve the Léogâne community. The progress has been exciting, but there is still much more that needs to be done. MBF is committed to supporting HSC s efforts to demonstrate Christ s love in one of the poorest countries in the world. We continue to work to increase ownership of HSC by the local communities so there is both an emotional and financial commitment to maintaining the medical ministry of the church. Volunteers from EMI survey the sewage system at HSC. 1. During the year, MBF partner, EMI (Engineering Ministries International) visited HSC made a trip to HSC to create a master plan for the campus, and to survey the site and evaluate the structural integrity of many of the buildings on its campus. While the hospital has continued to function after the 2010 earthquake, many of the buildings were operational, yet needing repairs, while others needed to be demolished. The purpose of the trip was to look at the vision for the hospital and develop a plan for repairing and restructuring the campus to meet that vision. The visit was a huge success and MBF and the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti are developing priorities and action plans to make this vision a reality. 2. A major accomplishment this past year involves repairing the section of roof over the pediatric ward. After the earthquake, the roof had been repaired, but the repairs had been made over the old, fiberglass material, and the repairs had not been sealed. This caused continued leaking, water damage and mold in the pediatric ward. The roof has since been repaired and sealed properly and is holding up well. Old fiberglass roofing material found under the leaking roof material. 8

9 There is a similar situation with the roof over the operating rooms, making them unsanitary. However, plans are to get that section of roof repaired and sealed early in the fiscal year. 3. Continuing medical education is important for any medical professional. In a developing country, where nurses and midwives account for more than 50% of the health care providers, continuing education is critical. Through visiting medical teams, videos and educational resources, the nursing and medical supervisors at HSC have developed a plan to provided continuing medical education opportunities for their staff. 4. Repairs and upgrades to the facility continue to happen when resources are available. This past year, two private patient rooms were added to maternity in an effort to increase paying patients. The outpatient waiting area was completely redone with new floors, new paint, new signs and televisions so that the hospital could broadcast spiritual messages of healing and hope. 5. Beyond the goal of increasing security, continued rolling out the patient wristband procedure it had started the previous year. This is a particularly important security measure in the maternity area. Other security protocols they have implemented this year include a check point at hospital entry that restricts entrance to the hospital to anyone other than staff, patients and approved visitors; they have set up an information desk to help direct people to the right locations eliminating people in restricted areas; and they have set up a designated overflow patient area that has the added benefit of increasing efficiency by decreasing wait times. 9

10 Patient Stories Dieulaine, was a young, pregnant woman from Port Au Prince. She was excited about the birth of her first child and had been saving money to pay a local midwife so that she could give birth at home. But her husband died suddenly and soon family members were suggesting the death that took her husband might also come for her baby. Now she had to use the money she had saved for the birth to pay for her husband s funeral. She knew her time was approaching. The pain in her abdomen had increased and she felt something was wrong. Dieulaine consulted a neighbor midwife who confirmed the baby was in the wrong position and told her she needed to give birth at a hospital under the care of trained health care providers. Dieulaine sought out NGOs that had remained in Haiti, even six years after the earthquake. But she was not considered high risk by their standards and was refused treatment. Nor could she afford the private or even government hospitals in Port Au Prince. She found herself alone and afraid. Another of Dieulanine s neighbors convinced her, that even though Hôpital Ste. Croix was a far two-hour trek to Léogâne, it was a good hospital and would be a safe place for her baby to be born. The very next day Dieulaine went in to labor. Her neighbor got her to HSC, but Dieulain was still stressed and fearful. When admitted, the HSC staff assured her that the money she did have would be enough for the deposit. Dr. Datus, head OB/GYN for HAS reported that the baby had moved into the correct position and all would be alright. Despite a rough beginning, Dieulaine gave birth to a healthy baby boy. A mother was in fear for her daughter s life. She was sick and had severe abdominal cramps. She was also about seven months pregnant, but it had been several weeks since she had felt any movement in her belly. The mother was sure the baby was dead 10

11 and was the cause of her daughter s illness. The two live in Aquin, about 65 miles west of Léogâne. In an effort to get answers and have the dead baby removed from her daughter s womb, the mother took her daughter to four different hospitals in different towns. They had spent so much time and money only to be told there was nothing that could be done. They even consulted witch doctors who gave the daughter a variety of herbs and teas to abort the dead baby, but none of it worked. When they arrived in Léogâne, the sought out the Doctors Without Borders hospital, but found it closed. They were exhausted and the daughter was getting worse. The local town s people directed them to HSC where they were finally able to get help. Unfortunately, the daughter s baby was dead. Had she not made it to HSC when she did, she would have died, too. They had exhausted their funds, but HSC did not turn them away. It was a month before they could head back home, but during their stay in Léogâne, the mother visited the hospital regularly to thank the staff for saving her daughter s life. 11

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13 Partner Darbonne Maternal & Child (MCH) Health Clinic Project Operations Goal To substantially reduce the maternal, infant and child mortality rates in the Southeastern region of Haiti by giving women access to skilled birth attendants, providing vaccines and well-baby visits, and offering family planning options. Activities Funded 26,000 Total visits 634 Deliveries 4,500 Family planning participants 2016 Funds $132,700 Project Overview The Darbonne community, nestled in the hills of the Léogâne region of Haiti, is made up of about 19 different villages. Back in 2009, the community had expressed a need for comprehensive maternal and child health services, education and support. In response, a maternity center was created. A year later, the devastating earthquake of 2010 hit. As is so often the case, funds from earthquake relief were able to be used for new construction of a clinic, but the funds could not be used for operating support. In 2013, as the Clinic began delivering its first babies, MBF became aware of the need for operating funds and stepped in to help. Since that time the MBF family has continued to work with the Darbonne Maternal & Child Health Clinic (MCH) as they serve a critical need for maternal and child health care Haiti. The Clinic reflects two of MBF s core ministry values sharing the Gospel and providing critical health care services for women and children. Haiti is the most dangerous place in the western hemisphere for a woman to give birth; this small country has the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the region. For every 100,000 live 13

14 births, 359 Haitian women will die as opposed to 14 in the U.S. For every 1,000 live births in Haiti, 52 infants die that is almost nine times the infant mortality rate in the U.S. (6:1,000). The overwhelming majority of these deaths are preventable. Saving the lives of women and their children is imminently doable even in the poorest of communities. The solutions aren t expensive nor are they difficult to implement, but they require access to health facilities and skilled birth attendants. Yet, in Haiti, only 36 percent of births take place in a health care facility and only 37 percent of women give birth under the care of a skilled birth attendant. Through simple programs like pre- and post-natal consultations, access to medical professionals during delivery, well-baby visits and vaccines, and family planning options, the Darbonne Clinic has been making great strides in meeting the health needs of the surrounding community and reducing infant and maternal mortality rates. Mortality rates at the Clinic are significantly less than the national average. The infant mortality rate is almost 90% less and the maternal mortality rate is more than 70% less than the national average for Haiti. In addition to health care access, the global community, in recent years, has recognized the importance of family planning in reducing mortality rates, particularly in developing countries. Family planning and contraception can reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, can prevent closely spaced or ill-timed pregnancies, can reduce the number of orphans or HIV-infected babies, and can reduce adolescent pregnancies which are more likely to result in preterm or low birth-weight babies. The Clinic has always had a family planning program, but in the last year or two, it has become increasingly popular. In addition to allowing women to safely space their pregnancies, this program has the added benefit of introducing women to the maternity services at the Clinic, so that when they do become pregnant, they are more likely to seek critical care before, during and after birth. The Clinic s reputation is becoming well known beyond the boundaries of Léogâne. They also work closely with HSC and FSIL to fully utilize available resources and truly begin to work as a health care system serving an incredibly poor population. 14

15 Patient Stories At 19, Margarette lost both her parents in the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. Now, at the age of 25, she was pregnant and the pregnancy had not been going well. Margarette s husband learned of the Maternal & Child Health Clinic in Darbonne and encouraged Margarette to go. Margarette s friend was also pregnant and she asked her to go to the clinic with her. But her friend s husband believes in the traditional method of birthing at home, so Margarette went to the clinic alone. She visited every month and faithfully took her iron and prenatal vitamins. Mika at a well-baby visit at the Clinic. Recently, Margarette went to the clinic and gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Mika. A month later, Margarette s friend lost her baby during a home delivery. While Margarette is very sad for her friend, she is grateful to the pre and Margarette (right) talking with another patient at the Darbonne Clinic. post-natal care she received and thanks God for the clinic in Darbonne. Margarette goes back to the clinic regularly so that Mika can get her immunizations and regular check ups. Thanks to the clinic, Mika is a healthy and happy baby. At 35 years old, Nadia was pregnant with her second child. The plan was to have a traditional birth at home, with a local, and typically untrained birth attendant. However, she started experiencing severe headaches, blurred vision and abdominal pain. A family friend suggested her husband take her to the Darbonne Maternal & Child Health Clinic. At her first appointment, they discovered that she was already three months pregnant and that she had high blood pressure. While not in danger yet, her condition could be very dangerous, even life threatening, for both mother and child. 15

16 For the remainder of her pregnancy, Nadia had regularly scheduled check ups every two weeks at the clinic. She followed the doctor s instructions and took her medications as directed. Even though the baby came a little earlier than expected, Nadia gave birth at the clinic to a beautiful and health baby girl without any issues. Martha Jean is a 30-year-old woman in Haiti. She had been suffering with fever, cough and asthenia (an abnormal physical weakness) for more than two weeks. Since her family lives far from any health center, they gave her home remedies that were not helping at all. A woman in her village told Martha Jean s husband about the Darbonne clinic and that although it primarily served pregnant women and children, it was the closest option available. Martha Jean and her husband left their home early the next day. After two hours of walking and one hour riding on a motorbike taxi, they reached the Darbonne clinic. After the initial consultation, the doctor put Martha Jean in an observation room for six hours because she was suffering from severe pneumonia and the doctor wanted to keep a close eye on her. It took a week for Martha Jean to recover, but she felt the Lord was on her side. She would have died if she had stayed at home. 16

17 Partner Faculty of Nursing Science of the Episcopal University of Haiti (FSIL) Project Nursing Scholarships Goal Improving access to health care for the 10 million people of Haiti by increasing the number of qualified and skilled nurses. Activities Funded 20 Nursing scholarships 2016 Funds $90,000 Project Overview In 2015, when the United Nations launched their 17-point agenda for helping the world s poor, 267 economists from 44 countries joined forces to publish a declaration advocating one particular course of action: make people healthier. According to Harvard University economist and former Chief Economist for the World Bank, Larry Summers, making the poor healthier gives a big bang for the buck. As world leaders embrace the aspiration to improve access to health care around the globe, it has become increasingly clear that this ambition cannot be realized without a workforce that is fit for purpose and to practice. According to the WHO, the world will be short 12.9 million health care workers by 2035; that translates into about 7.2 million currently. Virtually every country in the world is facing this shortage of health care workers, but in developing countries the shortage is acute. In most countries, nurses and midwives account for more than 50% of health care providers. In developing countries, that percentage is even higher. Because nurses are often the only access to health care for people in the poorest and most rural communities, they must be well educated and well trained. Simply increasing the number of workers is not enough. They must have the skills, competencies, clinical experience and 17

18 expectations that meet the health needs of tomorrow s populations. The FSIL Nursing School was conceived as part of the expanding medical outreach in Léogâne, Haiti. MBF, in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti secured ASHA grants and support from partner congregations to build the campus. Dedicated in January of 2005, the nursing school program is part of the Episcopal University and has developed a reputation as one of the best nursing programs in the country. You didn t give us a fish, you taught us how to fish. Our education can never be stolen from us. Chelene Noel, 2013 FSIL graduate FSIL is working not only increase the number of nurses in Haiti, but also to improve the quality and capabilities of those nurses. As the only baccalaureate nursing program in the country, they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills their graduates will need to care for the communities in which they will serve. FSIL continued to break ground this past year with the development of a new Master s in Nursing (MsN) program. This program, another first for nursing education in Haiti, expects to welcome its first students in the fall of Some of FSIL s other accomplishments this past year: Named the #1 nursing program in Haiti by the Ministry of Public Health Of the 115 FSIL BScN graduates to date, 95% have stayed in Haiti Danta Bien-Aime, an FSIL graduate, earned the highest score out of 2,500 nurses taking the national board exam, making her Haiti s nurse laureate. MBF and its U.S. partners continue to support FSIL by providing student scholarships. With 80% of the country s population living on less than U.S. $2 a day, many of the students face financial hardships in continuing their education. Most beneficiaries of the MBF scholarships are beyond their first year, so they have proven a commitment to pursuing their education. For many, the financial support they receive is not only provides them with an education and career possibilities, it also allows them to help their families overcome abject poverty. 18

19 Student Stories Rose Nadie Charles Fourth-year Student Becoming a nurse has always been Rose s dream. But as the oldest of six girls in the family, she knew that going to nursing school would be difficult, if not impossible. Her parents did not have steady work and what income they did generate went to food and clothing for their girls. Rose was able to find some work to help with school expenses and her parents contributed when they could, but it wasn t enough. Without the help of MBF and its scholarship program supporters, Rose would not have been able to afford her fourth and final year. I extend my sincere thanks to FSIL and the Medical Benevolence Foundation for having contributed to my success. Thank you for not abandoning me on my journey, thank you for your patience, and thank you very much for taking good care of me. Sandra Boucicault Third-year Student Sandra is a married mother of four. She is proud of making it through three years of study at FSIL and was looking forward to her fourth. However, her husband lost his job and now they have no resources for her to complete her education at FSIL. Because of a scholarship, Sandra is able to finish school and is eager to start working. She is proud to be studying at such a prestigious school; one that is considered among the best in Haiti. She knows that she will be able to help raise the level of health care that her fellow countrymen receive. I do not regret my choice to attend FSIL and look forward to helping people once I graduate. Thank you for your support. May God bless you and your families. 19

20 Judelande Jean Louis Third-year Student Judelande is the oldest of three children. Her father died when she was eight years old and her mother went to work as a seamstress. With the economic situation in Haiti, she was barely able to make enough to feed her children. Judelande has been working to cover the cost of tuition at FSIL, but needed help to complete her final two years. She is eager to become a nurse so that she can not only help her community, but help her family as well. I want to thank MBF for the scholarship support. Without your help I would not be able to finish school and have the hopes of securing a good job. Please do not stop the good that you are doing. You are a blessing. Bethel London Fourth-year Student Bethel is very excited for his fourth year. At the beginning of the year he was very worried about the difficulty of this year s courses, but proud to have the opportunity to become a real nurse. He is thankful for those who believe in him and cared enough to provide support. It was not Bethel s dream to become a nurse, but during his studies at FSIL he has come to love the profession and is one he is committed to as he sees how much his country needs qualified nurses. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I am grateful for your help and eager to make you proud. Blessings to God for all that you have done for me and for others. 20

21 Budgeted Partner Needs July 2016 July 2017 Hôpital Ste. Croix Pediatric Surgeries $28,500 Maternity Care $13,500 Women s Surgeries $30,000 Nursing Education $17,250 Equipment & Supplies $17,250 Darbonne Maternal & Child Health Clinic Deliveries and Maternal Care $91,000 Nursing Education $11,500 FSIL Nursing Scholarships $103,500 Master s Degree Program $48,500 Total Budget $361,000 21

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24 MBF works as an indispensable link to engage churches in the developing world to transform lives by building strong, self-sustaining healthcare ministries. As a Christ-centered mission with 50 years of experience, MBF mobilizes the church of North America to equip churches in developing countries with skills and resources for medical ministries in four crucial areas: Hospital Development and Support Nursing Schools and Scholarships Critical Health Services for Women & Children Community Clinics for Primary Care For more information contact: MBF (Medical Benevolence Foundation) Corporate Drive Suite 220 Stafford TX info@mbfoundation.org Gift remittance address: Medical Benevolence Foundation PO Box Washington DC MBFoundation.org 24