4) Les unités transitoires peuvent prendre en charge les cas modérés par réhydratation orale ou intraveineuse et transfèrent en ambulance les cas sévères vers les CTC.

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Improving access to healthcare

» West Department, Port-au-Prince, Delmas and Carrefour communes

» ACTIVITIES

Six temporary MdM clinics and two health centres should be gradually handed over to the Haitian health system. The clinics guarantee free access to primary healthcare and reproductive healthcare. Psychosocial care is also provided there (discussion groups, personalised listening sessions and psychological counselling ), as well as screening and referral of victims of sexual violence.

» RESULTS

81,057 free curative consultations completed.

» OUTLOOK

The return, in 2012, of the two healthcare centres supported by MdM, into the hands of the health authorities, will allow the organisation to withdraw. Support for the personnel of the Ministry of Health will continue to enable the eventual transfer of activities.

Reducing mother and infant mortality

» Grand’Anse department

Haiti has the worst indicators for maternal and child health of the entire American continent. 80% of the population lives on less than two dollars a day and cannot access healthcare because of the cost. The consequences are dramatic, with one woman in 37 of childbearing age at risk of dying from complications linked to pregnancy. MdM has been in the mainly rural area of Grand’Anse since 1989 and continues its work to promote access to healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years old.

» ACTIVITIES

Six health centres and five maternity units are supplied and maintained in order to guarantee free healthcare for children under five years old and pregnant women.

One prong of the programme deals with tackling malnutrition. The most severe cases, identified by the com­munities and the institutions, are treated. Referrals of cases requiring hospitalisation takes place, in the nutrition stabilisation unit, which was opened in 2009 within the Jérémie regional hospital.

Finally MdM supports the Grand’Anse health authorities, helping them to improve emergency responses, espe­cially in case of epidemics and natural disasters.

» RESULTS

82,916 children screened for malnutrition.

» OUTLOOK

As the only medical NGO working in Grand’Anse department, MdM is continuing its work in 2012. That is, promoting access to healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years old and improving relations between the people and health centres.

Response to the cholera epidemic

» Grand’Anse department

Cholera disappeared from Haiti a century ago but reappeared in November 2010. The situation was swiftly brought under control in Port-au-Prince, but not in some rural and isolated areas, such as Grand’Anse department which has the highest mortality rate. In this situation, MdM, as the only medical NGO in the department, continues to support the local health authorities to deal with cases of cholera.

» ACTIVITIES

MdM provides medical care for the sick in two centres and three cholera treatment units. MdM teams support the Ministry of Health’s operations in cases of emergency or peaks in the epidemic, with a mobile team working throughout the department. The programme’s teams provide medicines, equipment, train health personnel in epidemic management and organise awareness-raising sessions in the general population. The programme also guarantees a better response to emergencies, as part of the protocol implemented by the health management services in Grand’Anse. Finally, activities are co-ordinated with water and sanitation authorities.

» RESULTS

13,020 cases of cholera treated.

» OUTLOOK

With cholera becoming endemic, MdM will gradually withdraw and will no longer directly handle cholera cases, which are declining in number. However, MdM continues to support local authorities so that they are better prepared to respond to emergency epidemic situations.

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