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The St. Vincent de Paul Health Center was completed in 2005 after many years of care was provided in the St. Pierre Catholic Church by our visiting clinical teams and local physician. Due to rapid growth and the need for more administrative and residential space for our growing staff, a much-needed second story was added in 2009. The clinic now consists of patient care areas on the ground floor and office/residential spaces and community meeting room on the second floor.
The SVDP Health Center has evolved into an important hub of activity for not just individual medical care in the region but also for social and community programs:
Primary and Acute Medical Care
Serving more than 800 patients from the region per month, the Health Center offers primary care services for chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and malnutrition. Acute care services include an inpatient ward for the care of a variety of illnesses such as pneumonia, heart failure, diarrheal diseases and injuries. Expectant and post-partum mothers and their babies now enjoy their own private labor and delivery ward. An electrocardiogram machine (EKG) was delivered to the Health Center in March 2008; and, with contributions from Sacred Heart Church in Atlanta, an ultrasound machine was purchased and put to use for the first time in August 2009. Radiography was added in 2010.
Public Health
ServeHAITI’s Medical team sets forth a vision of healthy people in healthy communities in Grand-Bois, Haiti via a strong dedication to the improvement of community development, education, prevention, and care of individual health issues. This vision is achieved through the application of evidence-based measures and guided by the demands of the target population. Public health programming was kicked into high gear with the PEPFAR-NPI program funded via USAID from 2006-2010, and the legacy of that program lives on through the work of an on-site social worker and community health workers in the field.
Cholera Treatment Center
The cholera epidemic first struck Grand-Bois in October 2010. Since then, the SVDP Health Center has seen thousands of cholera patients and saved innumerable lives through direct patient care and education about sanitation and hygiene. A tent was erected on site as a cholera treatment center (CTC), and two satellite cholera treatment units (CTUs) were erected intermittently in distant villages hit hardest by the epidemic.
Cholera Update from Dr. Charmaine Lewis, US Medical Director
Nutrition Program
Based on data collected from a nutrition survey conducted in 2007, recommendations and implementation of nutritional supplementation, such as iodine, have been made. An on-site garden pilot project is underway to provide fresh local foods to the staff and patients and to show local people the value of planning a family garden. Severely malnourished children are enrolled in our Medical Mamba program which provides vitamin-enriched peanut butter to them and follows their progress.
Pharmacy
The Medical Team of ServeHAITI is responsible for selecting medications for a formulary and providing these essential medications to the Health Center. Approximately 60-70% of the medications for the Health Center are donated at a greatly reduced price. The remainder are donated free of charge. Patients presenting to the SVDP Health Center are provided an unlimited number of prescriptions as part of their assessment fee.
Mother-Baby Project
ServeHAITI’s goal is to provide a more developed perinatal program which includes 3 prenatal visits, obstetric ultrasound, delivery, and postpartum check for mother and baby. We strive to have an open avenue of communication with the local midwives to encourage referral to the Health Center for high-risk pregnancies or lengthy or complicated deliveries. Women are encouraged to come to the Health Center for delivery by a “Welcome Home Baby” basket containing essential needs to care for their newborn at home.
Community Radio Project
Thanks to funding provided by the PEPFAR-NPI grant, in 2010 a community radio station was launched from our very own Health Center! Programming includes public health messages, educational programming, local news, as well as discussions with political and religious leaders. The radio has proved to be an invaluable tool in disseminating health messages throughout the community.
Continuing Medical Education
The SVDP Health Center employs only Haitian staff, which is led by our Medical Director, Dr. Leopold Bourgouin, and includes an associate physician, 1 to 2 resident physicians-in-training, 2 registered nurses, several nurse aides, a social worker, pharmacy technician, clerk, and other support staff. ServeHAITI is proud to state that this amazing team does not rely on American volunteer nurses and physicians for day-to-day operations. Instead, a systems-based CME program will begin to help expand the services and expertise of our staff as well as enrich the experience of our resident physicians. Medical volunteers can now enjoy providing a long-lasting difference in the lives of our residents by sharing a lifetime of knowledge and clinical experience. Didactic sessions will be followed by bedside teaching on clinical rounds when available.
To volunteer please contact Liz McDermott at cryeye11@aol.com |
