Petit Trou Community Hospital and Health Center

Since Locally Haiti’s founding over 30 years ago, health has been a fundamental part of what we do. Over the years, thanks to leadership and relationship-building from a pioneering set of doctors, nurses, and health professionals, we’ve supported community health not only at St. Paul’s School, but also with and through the Ministry of Health in Haiti, which owns and operates the main clinical facility in Petit Trou, serving a population of 36,000 residents.

Over the past ten years, we’ve focused our support on providing training, salaries, and supplies for a cadre of 40 community health workers who work in direct support of the local clinic. These women and men conduct vaccination and education campaigns and serve as first responders, promoting wellness through education, building trust within the community, and working to improve maternal child health outcomes. Since COVID-19 struck Haiti, these health workers have also engaged in innovative, locally driven programming focused on the intersection of public health, prevention, and local food systems and nutrition. In addition to funding these initiatives, Locally Haiti has supported vital continuing education for community health workers and traditional birth attendants in the region. This essential work has been based at the local clinic, which is now nonfunctional and represents a danger to both staff and patients.

While Locally Haiti did not fund or manage the building of the old clinic in Petit Trou, we have engaged in special projects over the years to support its operation - be that through solar, specialized equipment needs, or dedicated funding for COVID prevention. In the weeks and months following the 2021 earthquake, we supported the clinic in a variety of ways. We funded mobile health clinics, allowing clinic staff to bring immediate and urgently needed care to the most rural areas. Thanks to support from partners at Direct Relief, we supplied large, ventilated tents that are serving as a home for clinical care until a longer term solution is available. When we were asked to help with psychological support, we engaged Dr. Vanessa Suffren, now Locally Haiti’s Health Officer, to work with staff at the clinic and provide training and support conducting focus groups, counseling, and psychological support.

We’ve now been asked to participate in the design, funding, and construction of a new health facility for the community, and it is our honor and privilege to say yes. The new facility will be located in downtown Petit Trou, in an open green space that is centrally located and has room for growth, gardens, and continuing education. We are engaging a variety of expert partners to ensure forward thinking, patient-centered design as well as durability and functionality. These steps are well underway and we can't wait to share the details.

We take this step with great joy, and after real discernment. Our Board of Directors constantly reflects on our mission as we make decisions and set the path forward. We are confident that this project, which provides an essential community hub for health, is in line with our vision for a strong, healthy, and empowered Petit Trou. We remain committed to supporting local health institutions, reinforcing and building capacity, and investing in a holistic approach to health in the community. This facility, which will be owned and operated by the Ministry of Health, will serve as a foundational cornerstone of that approach, a transformational step forward for the community, and an example of how public / private partnerships, operating through a framework of long-term commitment, can and should operate.

While we are grateful to report that we have several leadership gifts committed to this effort, we will need your support to make this vision a reality for the families and leaders of Petit Trou. We look forward to sharing more information soon, and we hope to count you as a partner in this monumental step for Petit Trou.