One year ago, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti’s Grand Sud, affecting thousands of people. In the remote department of Nippes, the quake claimed over 2,000 lives, injured 12,000, and caused 60,000 buildings to collapse, destroying homes, schools, and hospitals.
Doctors of the World was already present in the region, where projects in collaboration with authorities, local partners, and community leaders had been active for several months. This position allowed us to intervene quickly and be the first responders to reach remote areas to help the most isolated people.
In the first months following the earthquake, Doctors of the World, in collaboration with local actors, was able to intervene effectively thanks to the support of numerous partners and the generosity of Canadians.
We supported the local health system by strengthening medical response capacity, rehabilitating health centres, and ensuring food security and mental health for those affected by the earthquake.
After the emergency response, a new phase focused on development was implemented and is still ongoing. Community ties are at the heart of this work.
Marie Flaure G. Janvier, Community Activities Officer, coordinated community health workers across Nippes after the disaster. These workers are members of the communities they serve. They act as intermediaries between their living environment and institutions, conducting prevention activities, identifying needs, and assisting in the distribution of hygiene kits.
This fieldwork helped address major gaps, such as in ophthalmological health. In this department, home to approximately 373,150 inhabitants, there are no ophthalmologists. Many people were already living with eye health issues, but the trauma caused by the earthquake worsened the situation for many. Doctors of the World therefore organized community missions to provide care in hard-to-reach areas.
Ties with community leaders also help identify individuals in need of psychological support. The aftershocks following the earthquake served as a reminder of the threat, as many residents still live in fear that a similar event could recur. Their sleep and overall quality of life are affected. Additionally, psychological services provided consultations for those suffering from earthquake-related trauma and trained workers to support their recovery. Support groups and training sessions are held with teachers, students, and community members.
The support of our donors and financial partners enabled us to restore health services and rehabilitate health facilities. This was the case in the isolated and hard-to-reach commune of L’Asile, where we built new facilities to allow healthcare providers to reside there and care for people in the commune and surrounding areas.
Rediscover the video from six months after the earthquake
In summary, Doctors of the World’s intervention:
- Supported the health system in Nippes by assisting 81 healthcare providers in 9 health centres
- Supported the work of 32 community health workers in the most remote areas to bridge the gap between communities and the institutional health system
- Informed the population by deploying 9 trucks and town criers to share awareness messages in the 9 communes supported by the project
- Provided consultations to 495 people for trauma-related injuries
- Delivered outpatient consultations to 78,961 people
- Distributed 1,106 basic health kits to the most vulnerable populations
Haiti remains at risk of being affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and tropical storms, as was the case with new tremors last January. We continue our development work with exploratory missions to plan responses to new emergencies, particularly in remote communes inaccessible by road. Our programs aim not only to respond to emergencies but also to ensure, as much as possible, stable access to healthcare for all.
In this regard, the work of community health workers and town criers to raise awareness about infection risks remains essential. As the saying goes: “Prevention is better than cure.”
Haiti Emergency Report – 6 months →
We would like to thank Marie Flaure G. Janvier, Community Activities Officer, and Dr. Eddyson Vellot Jolicoeur, Technical Coordinator, for their testimony, as well as the entire Doctors of the World team in Haiti for their dedication throughout this mission.