Clinic in Jerusalem, Haiti

 

Following the earthquake, there was a concerted effort by the Haitian government to move families out of the camps in Port-au-Prince. One of the designated relocation areas was Jerusalem, an undeveloped region one hour north of Port-au-Prince. This new city is being built with government, UN and private investment and already houses 400,000 people. However, there are no healthcare facilities in the region.

 

SHH has partnered with a Haitian-based non-profit, who was provided an 8-acre parcel of land in the city of Jerusalem, to develop a healthcare facility. The project will help meet the basic primary care and vaccination needs because of its location as well as the plan to have solar powered refrigeration. Without a grid or utility infrastructure, the site will harness renewable resources (light, air, wind, sun, rain) through passive and active strategies, striving for closed-loop energy, water and waste management systems. The goal is for the facility to be a producer of energy, not a consumer, as well as a model for sustainable design for Haiti.

 

SHH has studied the site and believes that an outpatient medical clinic consisting of six (6) exam rooms, a procedure room, and a basic Laboratory (Phase 1) and a 64-bed pediatric hospital (Phase 2) are feasible, along with support structures such as housing and sustainable landscapes.

 

The first priority at the site however was providing access to clean water. This task was accomplished in 2012 with a well which provides water not only for the clinic and hospital once they are built, but also for residential use as it is accessible to many homes in the larger valley area.

 

The Phase 1 outpatient clinic is anticipated to take six months for construction and operational start-up at a cost of $600,000 for construction and equipment. Another $100,000 is anticipated to fund one year of operating costs for the facility.

 

SHH is seeking funding to complete Phase 1 and Phase 2. This is a timely opportunity. SHH has the expertise, personnel and plans in place and is seeking funding to make a much needed healthcare facility in Jerusalem, Haiti a reality as the population continues to grow.