Hospital

Wesleyan Hospital (1949) Lagonave, Haiti

The Wesleyan Hospital built in the 1949 with 33 beds and designed to serve a population of 10,000 was the only hospital on the Island. In the 50′s and 60′s the Haitian government decided to “clean up” the mainland and started sending people from the mainland onto LaGonave. As a result of this, the population boomed and now stands at approx 140,000. Clearly the hospital was at breaking point in terms of capacity and the building from the 50′s needed to be upgraded to bring it into the current century. Access to first class medical treatment on the island was scarce and access to expensive vaccines almost non-existent for most children on the island. For most, adequate care is 2-9 hours walk and many do not make it. Children were dying unnecessarily. Women in childbirth are dying unnecessarily. Men and Women our age were dying unnecessarily. Working alongside people we have relationship with and setting up medical clinics that will visit the most remote communities is part of our vision. After the earthquake, the hospital was declared unsafe. The large concrete ceiling was badly damaged with a crack all the way through it. Large tents were donated and used as temporary shelter for the patients but the patients were dying as it was too hot and they had to be moved back into the hospital.

u2u worked with partners across the globe to secure funding for a new purpose built 45 bed hospital for LaGonave, our commitment was to provide, supply and install all the electrical installation unique with 100% LED light fixtures and fittings. We broke ground January 16th 2012 and the ‘dedication’ was September 28th 2013. The Hospital is now complete with solar, Haitian staff and a fully functioning Haitian accredited Nursing School.