Haiti suffers the worst infant, under-five and maternal death rates in the Western Hemisphere.

Put simply, the vast majority of rural Haitians either have scant access to health care or they cannot afford it.  Northwest Haiti Christian Mission’s maternity center offers not just a safe and clean place for mothers to deliver their babies, but also offers 24/7 care from a professional staff of nurses, midwives, and an OB/GYN.

NWHCM staff deliver more than 80 babies a month.  In the midst of a phased move-in to a brand new maternity facility, we currently maintain four patient rooms and a four-bed delivery room.  In coming months, our maternity facility will also include an OR, two exam rooms, and a premature infant room with incubators and oxygen concentrators.

In addition to routine deliveries, NWHCM’s maternity center offers care for high-risk patients with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, as well as infant care and post-partum care for mothers and infants.  It also serves as a first-line ER, where staff primarily treat lacerations, burns, dehydration and congestive heart failure.

NWHCM is always in need of volunteers and medical professionals to assist with deliveries and post-delivery care.  Our maternity center operates every day of the year, so volunteers are welcome to come any time, with or without a formal medical group.

To learn more about volunteering at NWHCM’s maternity center or to schedule a trip, please contact:

Melissa Curtice, Assistant Medical Director – melissa.curtice@nwhcm.org

STATISTICS SOURCE: UNICEF