Haiti: Strengthening the public sector to serve the poor

Authors: Donna Barry, Paul Farmer, Louise Ivers, Wesler Lambert, Fernet Leandre, Joia Mukherjee, Maxi Raymonville, David Walton, Alice Yang To illustrate the positive impact of NGO collaboration with public sector health services. Data, trends and cases from public sector clinics in Haiti's Central Plateau will be reviewed and analyzed. In this region, Zanmi Lasante and Partners In Health have helped revitalize and in some cases, reconstruct, seven Ministry of Health (MSPP) clinics. Through partnership with Haiti's MSPP attendance at all clinics has skyrocketed. By procuring a basic package of essential medications as well as modestly increasing staff salaries, staff satisfaction and retention has greatly improved. Patients show up in record numbers once accessible, affordable, quality care is provided and as a result, health indicators improve. A vital public sector is the best way to bring health care to the poor. NGOs have a valuable role to play in developing new approaches to treating disease, but successful models must be implemented and expanded through the public sector to assure universal and sustained access.