Hospital Pleads: Don't Observe World Health Day. Act.

St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Haiti is a Lifesaver, but Medical Supplies are Dwindling

CHICAGO, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- World Health Day, April 7, is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the global inequities and tragic consequences of lack of access to quality health care. As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has long endured the injustices of poverty. Recently, tragic escalation of violence in Haiti has increased the need for access to medical care.

NPH's St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is operating under extreme conditions—the medical staff is a fraction of what it was five years ago; commuting to work is extremely dangerous; and demand for emergency care has skyrocketed. If it weren't for St. Damien hospital, at-risk pregnant women and severely sick or injured children would have nowhere else to turn.

The statistics are staggering:

• About 70% of mothers in Haiti give birth at home without any skilled help. As a result, maternal mortality rates are high, with one in every 80 women dying from childbirth or pregnancy-related problems.
• 1 in 16 Haitian children die before the age of five, often from treatable illnesses.

"Poverty and instability claim thousands of lives every year, but St. Damien is a light in the darkness," said the hospital's medical director. "We are the only high-risk maternity and pediatric oncology hospital in all of Haiti. Staff are working 24/7 shifts during this horrific crisis. We cannot turn away mothers, infants, and children who would otherwise suffer or die. We ask that others don't turn away during our greatest time of need."

The hospital needs funding for medications, tests, surgical equipment, and pharmacy supplies, plus funding to recruit and train medical staff. Importantly, they need fuel to keep generators running. St. Damien Pediatric Hospital needs help from compassionate donors so that infants and children can thrive.

"We are called not to observe World Health Day, but to act," said Jennifer Rayno, VP of US Donor Relations for St. Damien. "We mustn't stand by when help is within reach. We are called to act with compassion and generosity."

Help save lives in Haiti: NPHUSA.org/WHD

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) means "Our Little Brothers and Sisters" in Spanish. Founded in 1954 by Father William Wasson, NPH has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of the most vulnerable children and young adults, providing a nurturing family environment, education, health care, and vocational and life skills training.

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SOURCE St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Haiti