Important Updates from Haiti

As you may know, Haiti is in the midst of several months of political turmoil. The resulting protests, many of which have turned violent, has shut down the majority of available public services, services that were already tenuous. Unfortunately, it has led to a temporary interruption of our medical services, both on the part of our Haitian health care team, as well as visiting American teams.

First and foremost, our partners are safe. Dr. Fiquita and her team of Community Health Workers (CHW) are working to treat many of their patients, especially those with chronic illnesses, in spite of the obstacles. The CHWs are able to see in the clinic or at their homes. Then they communicate their findings to Dr. Fiquita in order to receive instructions regarding medication and management.

Prior to this period of instability, Community Empowerment was poised to enter into a formal partnership with the Haitian Ministry of Health, moving us one step further toward sustainability. With no clear end in sight, we are actively monitoring the situation and making real-time decisions around the investment of resources. We plan to resume operations once it is safe and effective to do so.

Please stay tuned for further updates.

Sincerely,
Alfredo Hernandez, Executive Director
Stephanie Crane, MD, President