Physical Health Haiti Project #55814

Build a new Neonatal Care Unit, Haiti

by Hope Health Action

Project Report | Oct 3, 2023
Half way there

By Tim Holmes | Operations Coordinator

In recent months, we have reached some important milestones on this ambitious NCU project. We're so thankful to have had your support so far. The road is long with a big project like this so it's important to celebrate points along the way.

Firstly, the designs are fully finished and signed off! Working with our fantastic partners BHI, we have developed a stunning plan for the new NCU and supporting facilities. This includes a spacioius, well-equipped NCU ward, mothers' space and accomodation, Training areas, storage rooms and more. It will be an amazing upgrade for mothers and babies needing receiving care, but also for the staff and visitors.

Secondly, we have reached 50% of the $700k total funding needed for the build phase of the project! Although there's a long way to go, this is an incredible achievement by all involved and our thanks go out to all the individuals and funding organisations who have contributed so far. Our goal is to secure another 20% from larger funders such as foundations before going out to our wider supporter base for the remaining 30%. By that point we should have been able to start on the build and show you updates as it develops.

Although we're excited to reach these milestones, we've been reminded of the reasons for this project being so desperately needed in recent weeks. Reports from Haiti are that the existing NCU has had to accomodate upto 21 babies at the same time. With very strained resources and space, this situation has been highly challenging for the staff. While they make every effort to give each baby the care they need, these are far from ideal circumstances to deliver intensive care to vulnerable babies. The sooner we can find the rest of the funds and begin building, the better it will be for babies in Haiti.

Thank you once again and we hope you're encouraged by the progress so far.

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Jun 9, 2023
Plans being finalised

By Tim Holmes | Fundraising Coordinator

A large infrastructure project like this new Neonatal Care Unit takes time to come to fruition. This is especially true in a difficult environment like Haiti currently experiencing social, political and economic turmoil. Fundraising for such a large project, and getting the plans right, can be a lengthy process. But we're glad to be making progress on both fronts.

Thanks to some secured funding, HHA and our building partners, BHI, have been able to push ahead with the mother's accomodation plans which are now all but final (see attached). This was a critical part of the plans and something that is missing from the current set up. Being able to treat new mothers with the dignity they deserve, especially those with babies who require NICU care, is a top priority. So we're delighted that the new plans provide an amazing facility for families of NICU patients to be able to stay near their babies in comfort.

In addition, the plans for the main NICU space are also complete bringing to life the vision for this long awaited project. We're very excited by what the new NICU will offer, with bigger fully equipped NICU bed areas for more babies alongside all the additional facilities a leading NICU unit needs, such as staff areas, storage, breast-feeding rooms etc.

A recent story shows how important building NICU capacity is in Haiti. One of our community-based Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) attended a birth where the baby quickly suffered breathing difficulties. The TBA arranged rapid transport to our NICU unit where the staff quickly determined the baby's lungs and liver were under developed. Treatment including CPAP breathing support and phototherapy thankfully saw the baby improve over a few days and is now home with Mum. But without the NICU facility available this baby could well have died. We're passionate about ensuring this NICU project continues at pace so that more babies can receive the best care available.

Thank you so much for your support!

Attachments:

4 Attachments

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Feb 10, 2023
A positive start to 2023

By Suzie Wood | Fundraising Manager

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