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"Reaching out to the heart of our neighbors.”
Our Hospital
Formosa Christ For All Medical Center Fond Parisiens, Haiti
I. Introduction
Haiti Haiti is located in the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 590 miles southeast of Florida. The eastern two-third of the island is the Dominican Republic. In 1804, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence. Unfortunately, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest country in the western hemisphere with a short life expectancy and a high infant mortality and death rates.
Fonds Parisiens Fonds Parisiens is a Haitian border town located seven miles from the border with the Dominican Republic and 30 miles from Port-Au-Prince. The population of Fonds Parisiens and its surroundings is 250,000.
Map of Hispaniola (Haiti and The Dominican Republic) The twin border cities Jimani (DR) and Fonds Parisiens (Haiti) are within a 12 miles radius on the southern border.
The Haitian Christian Mission The Haitian Christian Mission was founded in the 1970s by Rev. Etienne Prophete and his wife Betty Prophete. Their objectives are “Feeding the body, mind, and spirit of the Haitian people.” The main mission compound sits on 10 acres of land in Fonds Parisiens and includes a church, a school, dormitories, an outpatient clinic and an obstetric and gynecology center.
The Haitian Christian Mission has allocated five acres of land for construction of the medical center.
Project Haiti Heart, Inc. Project Haiti Heart was founded by Drs. Serge Geffrard and Ming Young in 2004. It is a US based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide medical, humanitarian, and spiritual aid to the people of Haiti. Since 2004, Project Haiti Heart has been working together with the Haitian Christian Mission in construction of the medical center in Fonds Parisiens.
II. Formosa Christ For All Medical Center
Overview Project Haiti Heart and the Haitian Christian Mission are in the process of build a medical center in Fonds Parisiens which will serve 250,000 inhabitants of Fonds Parisiens and surrounding communities. The center will provide both primary and tertiary care and will serve as a training center for the next generation of Haitian physicians. The center will include the following: An obstetrics and gynecology center (Completed in 2008), a multi-purpose emergency room, renovation of the outpatient center, Pediatric and adult wards, several operating rooms, and a cardiac catheterization laboratories.
Obstetrics and Gynecology Center Haiti has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the western hemisphere. To tackle this problem significant improvements are needed in prenatal, peripartum, and postnatal care. Improvements in these three areas will help prevent many diseases and complications.
In 2008, we completed the obstetric and gynecology center. The center includes a 2500 square foot building, with an obstetric exam room, a delivery room, an operating room, a sterilizing room, and a maternity ward.
The new obstetrics and gynecology center
Multi-Purpose Emergency Room Our medical center is located on the main road which connects Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Because of its easy accessibility, we are the primary center for emergent cases in the vicinity. From trauma cases to medical and obstetric cases, we are the first line of defense.
We plan to build a ten-room emergency room with X-ray and laboratory facilities. Construction of the emergency room is the next stage of our projects.
Outpatient Center About 50 patients are seen at our outpatient center each day. The two exam rooms of our current outpatient center were built in the 1970s and are antiquated.
We plan to build a ten-room outpatient center with modernized equipments and designs.
Pediatric Wards There are no pediatric wards at our hospital currently. Our plans include the followings: Ten bed nursery, eight bed neonatal unit, and a four bed intensive care unit, ten pediatric and adolescent unit, and two isolation rooms.
Adult Wards The adult wards will include: Ten general medicine beds, four intensive care beds, and two isolation rooms.
Operating Rooms Many in Haiti are in need of surgical interventions. Unfortunately, there are only few hospitals in Haiti which are equipped for these operations. Our plan is to build a tertiary surgical care center in Fonds Parisiens. We plan to build two more operating rooms in addition to the operating room at the obstetric and gynecology center. We will also build a post-anesthesia recovery unit.
Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory With recent advances in technology, many cardiac procedures which previously required cardiac surgery can now be performed safely in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. This is ideal for a country like Haiti where resources for cardiac surgery are limited. We plan to build a modernized cardiac catheterization laboratory which will allow cardiologists to perform invasive procedures in a safe environment. This will be the first cardiac catheterization laboratory in the country.
Electronic Medical Records Electronic medical records will greatly optimize patient care in Haiti. We are currently looking at purchasing a web-based electronic medical records system which will allow both local and remote management of patients. In addition, since several different groups from the United States go to our hospital, this will greatly enhance continuity of care.
Physician Training and Residency Program One of the most important projects is to start a residency training program in Fonds Parisiens. Our goal is to create a program that produces physicians with solid medical training and Christ-like leadership skills in the clinical and spiritual settings.
Energy With the soaring price of oil, alternative energy sources are a necessity for our medical center. Alternative energy sources is an integral part of all of our projects.
Financial Support The medical center in Fonds is predominantly financially supported by donations from individuals, churches, and other organizations to the Haitian Christian Mission and Project Haiti Heart.
Formosa Christ For All Hospital Construction Timeline Phase I: Construction of the obstetrics and gynecology center (Completed in 2008). Phase II: Construction of the emergency room, outpatient center, adult and pediatric wards, and intensive care (To be completed in 2011). Phase III: Construction of the cardiac center, cardiac catherization laboratory, and cardiac operating rooms (To be completed in 2013). Phase IV: Opening of the medical school and residency program (2015).
A New Hospital and Hope for the People of Haiti. By Dr. Serge Geffrard
The Obstetrics and Gynecology Center
Project Haiti Heart PO Box 43332 Atlanta, GA 30336 678-276-9758 E-mail: projecthaitiheart@yahoo.com |
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