Hopital Ste. Croix in Haiti
to reopen September 1

After being closed for nearly eight months following the massive earthquake in Haiti, Hopital Sté. Croix in Leogane will reopen September 1. Although the main three-story wing of the hospital won't be ready for occupancy for several months during rebuilding, the old medicine wing of the hospital has been repaired, cleaned, painted, and set up with about thirty beds. Suzi Parker, PC(USA) co-worker in Haiti says that "sheets are on the beds, curtains at the windows, and doctors are ready to make rounds!"

A tent hospital manned by volunteer doctors and nurses from all over the world has now closed, but the hospital's outpatient clinic, open during the aftermath of the earthquake, sees almost 1,000 people a week.

Parker also reports that the Children's Nutrition Program will now use the old central supply room for their re-nourishment program and mobile clinics will begin visiting the mountain and seaside plains areas where people find it difficult to get to the cities.

MBF is active in raising funds for Hopital Sté. Croix, an MBF partner hospital. During the period after the earthquake, MBF has raised extra funds and sent personnel to the area to help in a number of ways.

Here is prior news from the MBF website:

News
Major reconstruction announced
for quake-damaged Haiti

The Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF) has just announced a major project to reconstruct and expand medical and educational facilities near the epicenter of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010. The project is being conducted by MBF, in partnership with the City of Champions for Haiti, a coalition that includes business, healthcare, and building trade leaders of the Pittsburgh area.

The Hospital of Ste. Croix, an important reference hospital for the area around Leogane, was badly damaged in the quake - an impact still being felt by the hundreds of thousands of Haitians injured. The $10.5 million project will essentially revitalize an entire block containing the grounds of the Hospital. The work includes restoration and retrofit of the existing 3 story hospital, construction of a new wing, an operating facility, new emergency room, and several other buildings providing support services. The project will also include Pittsburgh-based medical expert consultation through newly supplied telemedical technologies.

MBF Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Will Browne, notes, "While many relief organizations have provided much appreciated help after the quake, MBF has a long-standing relationship with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, which owns and operates the hospital, and a long history of supporting health operations in Haiti. We therefore have a shared commitment to ensure not just short-term response, but long-term growth and recovery in the region. With the help of our partners in the City of Champions for Haiti, a giant leap forward has been made for the country and its people".

Even before this project, the Pittsburgh coalition and MBF worked with charitable shipping organizations such as Brother's Brother immediately after the earthquake to provide another $10 million of medical supplies, equipment, and professional help.

Hopital Sainte Croix (HSC) is located in Leogane, twenty miles west of Port-au-Prince, right next to the epicenter of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January of 2010. It is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, and is affiliated with the FSIL Nursing School in Leogane.

Since its founding as a small outpatient clinic in 1968, this regional medical center has grown to be a full-service referral hospital serving the peninsula of Haiti. HSC also coordinates a network of community health workers and village clinics throughout the immediate rural region.
Since the earthquake, the grounds of the hospital and surrounding facilities are damaged and badly in need of repair, reconstruction, and more functionality. Fortunately there is now a plan in place to rebuild these health and educational facilities, which are so crucial to the people of Haiti.

The Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF) has secured a Memorandum of Understanding with Bishop Jean Zache Duracin, setting the stage for this exciting project to take place. MBF has partnered with a coalition of business, healthcare, and building trade leaders known as the City of Champions for Haiti. Together with the Diocese, we have developed a vision for this project in Leogane.

The $10.5 million project will essentially revitalize an entire city block and the nearby Belval campus. The work will take place in four phases, which will include:

• Phase 1
  Hospital, reconstruction of existing building, new wing, surgery training facility, guest house, & facility buildings.

• Phase 2
  New school & housing for patient families.

• Phase 3
  New church.

• Phase 4
  New maternity/child center on Belval nursing school campus.

The project will also include Pittsburgh-based medical expert consultation through newly supplied telemedical technologies, and Brother's Brother will be assisting with shipping needs.

HSC is managed by a board appointed by Bishop Duracin, which includes equal numbers of Haitian and U.S. members, one of whom is MBF Executive Director Will Browne. The Board has appointed Dr. Gladys Memnon as Hospital Director.

While many relief organizations have provided much appreciated help after the quake, MBF has a long history of supporting health operations in Haiti. We therefore have a shared commitment to ensure not just short-term response, but long-term growth and recovery in the region. With the help of our partners in the City of Champions for Haiti and you, our MBF donors, a giant leap forward is being made for Haiti and its people.