Haiti

The Republic of Haiti occupies the western third of the island Hispaniola (Ayiti) which it shares with the Dominican Republic. 3/4 of the country is mountainous. With an area of 27000 sq km (10692 sq miles) Haiti is about the size of the State of Maryland. One of the major adjacent islands, La Gonave, by itself is 1.5 time the size of Barbados, 2.2 time the size of Grenada, 7 time the size of Montserrat and 13 time the size of bermuda. With a population over 6.7 million inhabitants, Haiti is characterized by high infant mortality, high level of illiteracy. The consequences of such a state of affairs are the following:

The topography of the country combined with the lack of roads make land communication difficult at best and impossible at worst.

The high level of illiteracy restrict the means for dissemination information of all kinds and requires highly experienced personnel to confront the problems associated with such conditions.

Haiti suffered a brain-drain in the early 60's when a large number of professionals attracted by better opportunities in Africa left the country. In the 70's the brain-drain continue toward US and Canada. Recently, after the September 30, 1991 coup d'etat and through extensive rebuilding of every facet of Haitian society. The time is now and the proposed project can contribute to this effort of reconstructing Haiti's future.

The Haiti Recovery Initiative and other such initiatives taken by other organizations which constitute a mini-marshall plan for Haiti should be implemented as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if a better life does not come, if jobs are not created, if the crushingly low standard of living is not raised, the great shared investment in democracy will be wasted. Haiti's plan for economic development is moving ahead.

The health problems in Haiti are outrageous. Many hospitals are run by the State, however all of them would have been closed by US standards (OSHA, joint commission regulaitons). The main hospital in Port-au-Prince, the State University Hospital, is in a deplorable condition. Physicians are practically working with their fingers or equipments that are not functionable:

• no labs
• no equipments
• no supplies
• no medicine

Consequently, the quality of care is really not at its best for a country to provide the care that's needed from it's people.