Port-au-Prince, HAITI. September 3-6, 2009.
Director's Office News. Washington DC. September 10, 2009.

PAHO Director on official visit in a high level Inter-American mission to Haiti to assess the impact of the cooperation programs by the international community on the process of development in Haiti, particularly in Gonaives, Jacmel and Cité Soleil.

The high-level mission of Institutions of the Inter-American System headed by OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin also met with the President of Haiti, René Préval in the first day of their visit, who shared the short and long-term priorities of Haiti, including judicial and constitutional reform, the fight against drug trafficking, as well as infrastructural development including agriculture and aquaculture.

The high-level mission was comprise of Representatives of OAS Member States, including the Chair of the OAS Permanent Council, OAS authorities, senior officials of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and members of the media.

This mission follows mandates emanated from the 5th Summit of America and the Resolution 2487 of the General meeting of OEA in support to socioeconomic development and to political stability of Haiti, particularly. This resolution asks the international partners of Haiti to continue coordinating their actions with the Haitian Government with the aim of getting better results at local level.

Inter-American Institutions Projects to Haiti

• Free Obstetric Care Project (SOG)

Social protection in health that will first cover pregnant women and neonates

Throughout the Free Obstetric Care Project (SOG) from PAHO low-income pregnant women have free access to health services and as resources permit, gradually add successive interventions of proven effectiveness to improve Haiti's health system; an example of such interventions is the elimination of neonatal tetanus and congenital syphilis.

Following the preparatory phase from May to December 2007, execution of the project in 49 institutions began in February 2008, thanks to the support of CIDA/CAN, PAHO/WHO, and the Ministry of Health and Population of Haiti.

Results
As a result of this program of cooperation there have been an increase in the number of institutional deliveries (32,755): 69% of the institutions participating in the project show an average increase of 59% over the baseline as well as a better response to obstetric emergencies: 9.9% C-sections versus the national average of 3% (EMMUS 2005-2006).

The overall beneficiary satisfaction is at 83%, with notable changes in behavior: 39% of the women who gave birth in SOG institutions state that their last delivery had taken place at home and also a little improve of the care provided to migrant and border population with a 30% of the provider institutions located on the Haiti-Dominican Republic border.

Strengthening of the surveillance and monitoring system: 67% of the results (22,103 deliveries) are already entered in the SIP-CLAP-PAHO/SOG project database, making it possible to estimate the rate at which the various project components are used nationally and by department and institution.

Maternal deaths in the participating institutions numbered 22 out of the 22,103 deliveries entered in the SIP-CLAP-PAHO/SOG database, resulting in a maternal mortality rate of 99.5 per 100,000 live births, a figure six times lower the nationwide maternal mortality rate (630 per 100,000 LB)

In the period some 33,100 beneficiaries are estimated from February-September 2009.

Other Inter-American Projects include:

• Modernization of Haiti's civil registry (OAS Project) that began in 2005, supporting the organization of nationwide mobile registration campaigns targeted to adults, where more than 3.5 million people were registered and the creation in 2006, of the he National Identification Office (ONI) for the government of Haiti. Since then, the OAS has been supporting ONI to strengthen its institutional capacity. 141 ONI offices have been opened throughout the country, at least one in each commune to reach the entire population and to date, 4.2 million people have obtained the National Identification Card (CIN)
  
  
• Program for Rehabilitation of Basic Economic Infrastructure (IDB Project) (Jacmel) were public urban road construction in Jacmel is being implemented between 2006 and 2009 by the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation, and Communications (MTPTC) and funded by the IDB. About 6 kilometers of roads are being constructed in the city of Jacmel. The work includes drainage and installation of a hydraulic network; and the construction of the air terminal in Jacmel, a modern two floor building with all necessary facilities including arrival, security and services.
  
  
• Pro-Huerta Project (Gonaives) (IICA Project) that has proven to be an effective, low-cost solution to the serious food problems of the Haitian population and has even become an alternative for food security for many inhabitants of that city; an horizontal cooperation between the governments of Argentina and Canada administered by the IICA Office in Haiti. The Canadian government contributed more than $4.8 million Canadian dollars and Argentina, more than $1.8 million dollars to promote community production of fresh food for the Haitian population through coordinated efforts involving the Ministry of Agriculture of Haiti, its departmental directorates and community organizations, such as schools, orphanages, training centers, farmer associations, women's' associations, professional centers, parishes and congregations of various religious denominations, together with community leaders. The project will benefit 26, 400 families in 110 rural communities in the 5 geographic areas for the next 5 years.
  
  
• Community-Driven Development in Cité Soleil (Port-au-Prince area) (PADF Project) supporting activities such a egg production center run by women, under the PADF Urban Community Driven-Development (CDD) portfolio, funded by the World Bank, through the Bureau de Monetisation d'Aide au Développement of the Government of Haiti. This activity highlights employment generation, community participation and strengthening grassroots democracy. There are similar projects in other communities such as Bel Air, that also are participating in the CDD program for chicken production that highlight local management among community and cooperative enterprises.

More information:

HEALTH: A RIGHT FOR ALL. The Challenge of Haiti. PAHO Publication.
Director's introductory note.[PDF]

UN MINUSTAH article [PDF English version]
Original Publication. [UN MINUSTAH French version]
Photo Gallery from UN MINUSTAH

OAS. HIGH LEVEL INTER-AMERICAN MISSION TO HAITI A SUCCESS. Press Release

OAS Picture gallery: A Delegation of Institutions of the Inter-American System headed by OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin meets with the President of Haiti, René Préval

AFP. A painful birth for free medical assistance in Haiti

CONTEXT
Since April 2009, the OAS and the international community have reiterated on different occasions their intention to support the efforts of the Haitian government's in promoting good governance, socio-economic and sustainable development and security.

The Inter-American Mission to Haiti had the objective to stimulate joint efforts and initiatives by the participating parties and to witness firsthand projects and programs financed or executed by participating Inter-American Institutions which have had a lasting impact on the lives of the people of Haiti; and to stimulate coordination among Inter-American institutions working in Haiti to better respond to the needs and priorities as defined by Haitian authorities, as well as the continued commitment of the international community to support the improved political, economic and security environment in Haiti and to seek alignment between the agencies mandates and the priorities set by the Haitian authorities

The mission focused in explores the idea of a joint inter-American programming in Haiti that would make emphasis on the country's priorities and on areas of common interest.

For more information, please contact Diaz, Eng. Katia (WDC), Director's Office Webmaster.