Medical Projects

Background

Haiti has consistently struggled with health care with some of the worst health indicators in the world. Poor quality health care has been a persistent problem for generations and has been further complicated by natural disasters such as Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and the devastating earthquake of January 2010, followed by the first confirmed cholera outbreak in over 100 years. Each of these natural disasters were further exacerbated by the inherent problem of a limited healthcare infrastructure, lack of medical funding, and the inability to retain qualified health professionals because of low and unreliable wages and poor working conditions. While the Ministry of Health is working with developed countries and international organizations to try and address these issues, currently about 40% of the population still lacks access to health care. This lack of access and affordability also affects Haitian children, with only approximately 45% children between 12-23 months of age having received all their vaccinations; leaving the rest of the population exposed and susceptible to a range of preventable diseases.

Medical

Haiti has consistently struggled with health care with some of the worst health indicators in the world. Poor quality health care has been a persistent problem for generations and further complicated by natural disasters such as the 2016 Hurricane Matthew, devastating earthquake in January 2010, and later that year the first confirmed cholera outbreak in over 100 years. Each of these natural disasters were further exacerbated by the inherent problem of a limited healthcare facilities, lack of medical funding, and the inability to retain qualified health professionals. While the Ministry of Health is working with developed countries and international organizations to try and address these issues, currently about 40% of the population still lack access to health and nutritional care. This lack of access and affordability also affect their kids with only approximately 45% children between 12-23 months are fully vaccinated therefore leaving the rest of the children exposed and susceptible treatable diseases.

Problem

Haitians living in rural communities’ face two key challenges when it comes to health care, access and affordability. Families are often forced to choose between paying the healthcare costs of a loved one or buying food for the rest of the family. Approximately 2.5 million out of 10 million Haitians live on less than $1.25 per day. That means that roughly 25% of the Haitian population lives in extreme poverty; and those individuals live predominately in rural communities.

Solution

With these issues in mind, The Good Shepherd Foundation contracts with Haitian medical professionals who have been providing no cost healthcare services for the past seven years to the residents of Chevreau du Lombard and surrounding communities. However, we have found that over 90% of our patients voluntarily provided a donation for their care. These monies offset about 14% of the foundation’s operating costs. The remaining costs are offset by donations from people, like you who recognize that choosing between a loved one’s health and buying food is not a choice that any family should have to face.

We at The Good Shepherd Foundation ask you to please consider joining us in improving the lives of the good people we serve by donating to support our clinic or helping to complete our new facility. It is through your kind financial donations that we can continue to provide critical care to people that need it the most.