No One Turned Away

Recognizing the urgent need for medical care in Haiti is not difficult. Even when hospitals and clinics are open and fully functioning, statistics show there are only 25 doctors and 11 nurses available per 100,000 people in Haiti. Peredo Community Hospital began as a small clinic in 2012 to help reach more people but has grown tremendously over the years. Specialties have been added to include General Practice, Pediatrics, Emergency, OB/GYN, Urology and Orthopedic, as well as a surgery center, pharmacy, and 30 staff members.

What many may not realize is that although the hospital has grown over the years one facet that has always been a part of the program is the pharmacy. We tend to take things for granted in the United States, such as access to basic medical care including the availability of medicine like over the counter pain reliever and cough medicine. Haitian Christian Outreach has been blessed to be able to provide something as crucial as a local pharmacy to communities in SE Haiti.

The Peredo Community Hospital Pharmacy operates 24/7 with 2 dedicated staff members. Anytime someone comes to the pharmacy they are served! Miss Elvinia Joseph is our main pharmacist working weekdays and Miss Manoushka Balthazar works in the pharmacy on the weekends. These women work hard meeting the needs of the community by organizing and maintaining medications and compassionately working with patients who are in great need.

Just as in the States, once a patient has been seen by a doctor and has his or her prescription in hand they go to the pharmacy to get the medication. Patients do not have to have been seen by our doctors to have a prescription filled. Many travel from other communities because they know our prices are better. However, despite our lower prices, patients may not have the funds to pay for the medication. Many people have come to the hospital with no money or have sold what little possessions they have to get transportation to the hospital. After a consultation, they wonder how they are going to pay for their medicine. But as RoRo says, “our policy is that no one will be turned away without being served.”

The PCH and Pharmacy staff continues to be the hands and feet of Jesus as they serve those who are sick, wounded, and suffering no matter their financial situation! RoRo says that Miss Elvinia always finds a way to help! Miss Elvinia has shared that some patients have brought her gestures of “Thanks” such as fruit because they are so appreciative of her grace toward them when they were ill.

Access to medical care and medication continues to be an urgent need in Haiti. Rural communities like Peredo and surrounding areas are especially suffering as less than 10% of Haitians living in these communities have access to hospitals and medical clinics. At HCO we recognize it is only the hard work and dedication of our partners that we can continue to meet these needs. It is because of the hard work and compassion of the PCH staff, who work day and night at the hospital; the faithful support of our Stateside partners, who serve on mobile medical clinics, our partners in-country, such as Haiti Air Ambulance who fly patients to PCH for urgent care; and partner ministries based in the States such as FAME, IDES, and Flights for Christ, who pack, ship, and fly much-needed resources to Peredo. But most of all, we recognize it is because of God’s provision we can continue to meet the needs of our Haitian brothers and sisters, turning no one away in their time of need!