Central Africa Healthcare Organization

DESSALINES HOSPITAL

Claire Heureuse Hospital
Dessalines Haiti launches its website click here  

Dessalines Hospital, officially known in Haiti as Claire Heureuse Hospital and located in Marchand Dessalines, 100 miles north of the capital Port-au-Prince, first opened its doors in October 1986.  Prior to 1986, there had been a small non-functional government medical center located at the same location as the present hospital. In the early 1980's the local government leadership, because of a sense of respect and trust for the Free Methodist mission organization, approached the Free Methodist National Church leadership asking if the mission would consider taking control of the hospital.  At that time, it was little more than a small. unkempt clinic run by corrupt, absentee physicians. After much prayer, consultation and networking, it was agreed that the Free Methodist Church would assume control. As a result, leadership from the Washington-state based Haiti Medical Team, represented by  Dr. Dan Morris and nurse Nancy Wachsmith, arrived as the first medical missionaries.  They were soon followed by others including nurses Tannis Mealy, Diana Carty and Dr. Jerry Rusher and wife Wanda, and many others in the ensuing years. The building and finance efforts were also coordinated by a group of individuals led by Ian and Alice Van Norman, and friends Denny Brown and Earl Trouten (all from Canada and Canadian Tire Company franchise owners). Their generous funding, leadership and coordination with the Haiti mission organization and Dr's Kirkpatrick and Elmore Clyde of Free Methodist World Missions of North America provided the energy to not only initiate but to sustain the project. On site coordinators were mission administrator Warren and Della Land, builders and team coordinators Gregg and Gail Ennis, Mr. and Mrs. Schwanz, along with Ian and Alice Van Norman, and Haitian Church leadership represented by Pastor Charite Noel.

       Today, as a result of the efforts and prayers of those and others not mentioned above, the Claire Heureuse Hospital, also known to the expatriate world as the Dessalines Rural Health Care Project or D.R.H.P., is a thriving center serving a local population of 250,000. The official Mission Statement of the hospital is to "Heal, Prevent Illness and Evangelize."

       The hospital presently averages 100 outpatient clinic visits a day, has 60 beds available for inpatient hospitalization, delivers 1300 babies a year and has Surgical, Pediatric, Obstetrical and General medical services. The hospital also has a Haitian staff of 87 employees who run and operate laboratory services, X-ray,ultrasound, operate a Red Cross transfusion center and manage an inpatient and out patient pharmacy. There are 10 affiliated outlying clinics supervised by the Public Health division of the Hospital. The clinics are maintained and operated by a staff of 80 with funding coming largely from USAID.  Programs include Maternal-Fetal care, Pre-natal Clinic, TB and HIV clinics, a broad vaccination program and basic teaching in nutrition and health.  The hospital has an active spiritual outreach program under the leadership of a ful-time chaplain, resulting in an average of 15-20 commitments to Christ per month in recent years.

     As of March 2010, DRHP has intimately involved with the relief effort followng the January 12 earthquake. The needs being met are not only physical but emotional and spiritual. DRHP, with relief funding from many friends and supporters, is offering free health care and spiritual counseling to all victims of the earthquake. Initially the hospital received acute trauma cases largely wounds and fractures. Presently DRHP is facilitating the care of displaced persons who now are coming to the hospital for medical care after having lost their jobs, homes, household belongings and now find themselves living in the streets, in a tent or with family. Emotionally and spiritually we are seeing patients with "acute traumatic distress syndrome." The tragedy is that many do not know why they are suffering emotionally and spiritually as they are not aware of the normal pathway to healing after a traumatic event. To the end, our chaplains, pastors and visiting expatriate grief counseling teams are assisting all comers in the healing process as the medical team attend to their physical needs.

     We have much to be thankful and want to thank all of our supporters and partners for their assistance as we partner with the Haitian people. Their world has been turned upside down but in the Name of Jesus, we are seeing many helped physically, emotionally and spiritually as our Haitian partners and expatriate supporters and teams lead those who enter the doors of the DRHP towards the pathway of healing.

Dr. Dan Snyder

March, 2010