Women and children at risk in Haiti

Home Women and children at risk in Haiti

The situation
Our action
Your support

The situation

Haiti has the highest maternal and neonatal mortality rate in the Western Hemisphere.

More than four women die each week from complications relating to pregnancy or childbirth.

In 2015, 31,000 children under five died in Haiti (that’s a mortality rate of 59 children out of 1,000, which is 12 times higher than in Canada where the rate is 4.9 children out of 1,000). Of the 31,000 deaths in Haiti, more than 7,000 were newborns who died as a result of a premature birth, complications during childbirth, or an infection.

Chronic malnutrition, which affects 11.4% of children under five, is also a major cause of infant mortality.

The high cost of care, the lack of services and the geographical distance of health facilities are the main factors affecting the mortality rate. In some areas, it can take up to five hours to reach a medical centre.

Our action

In 2017, Doctors of the World launched a new program to significantly reduce the mortality rate of mothers, newborns and children under the age of five in four of Haiti’s 10 departments (Nord-Ouest, Artibonite, Ouest and Nippes). This program is expected to support more than 230,000 people over the next three years.

Doctors of the World Canada has been given the opportunity to receive $3M from the Government of Canada per year for three years on the condition that Doctors of the World invests $265,000 a year from funds collected from its donors. That means that for every dollar you give, the government will give $10.

This program will help . . .

to consolidate and improve medical care for pregnant women, mothers, newborns and children under five in six basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care units, and five community health centres.
to increase the healthcare system’s ability to reach women where they are.
to help pregnant women, mothers, their newborns and their children increase their consumption of nutritious foods and dietary supplements

We need your support.