Helping Haiti Through COVID-19

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, St. Luke’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti was faced with the challenge of having only one ventilator. Resources in Haiti are limited, and 40% of the population does not have access to basic health care. These hardships make World Telehealth Initiative (WTI)’s program in Haiti even more critical.

WTI partners with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital to support St. Luke’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince, with the goal of building the capacity of local healthcare providers. Thankfully, one of our partner physicians at Jefferson facilitated the donation of five more ventilators to St. Luke’s before the pandemic hit Haiti.

Initially, however, the staff at St. Luke’s were not equipped with the skills or training to install and utilize the new ventilators. WTI connected them with ventilator experts and pulmonologists, who trained the St. Luke’s staff. Local providers learned how to bring the ventilators online, operate the machines, and ensure proper oxygen flow for patients in critical condition.

The single ventilator that St. Luke’s Hospital had before the onset of COVID-19.

WTI has continued to provide pulmonology expertise to St. Luke’s during the pandemic. After a COVID-19 patient has been stabilized, the provider in Haiti can consult with a pulmonologist via telehealth, ask questions, and grow their skillset. The local provider becomes more knowledgeable with each telehealth session and can go to their next patient with an even better understanding of COVID-19.

The team at St. Luke’s can also participate in ‘Lunchtime Learning’ classes hosted by Jefferson through the telehealth device. These free classes are an opportunity for the Haitian physicians to brush up on their skills and learn the latest techniques their colleagues at Jefferson are discussing.

WTI’s mission of delivering quality healthcare while building capacity is centered on our core tenet of partnering with local healthcare providers. In Haiti, this commitment has resulted in improved COVID-19 healthcare for Port-au-Prince. Through our collaborative efforts, WTI strengthens community health systems for the future.