Ste Thérèse Hôpital de Hinche

Hôpital St. Therese in Hinche, Haiti, is a key medical facility for the city of Hinche and the nearby Central Plateau region of Haiti. It has faced multiple challenges like resource scarcity and strained capacity, especially after events like the 2010 earthquake. Its history is marked by significant support from organizations like Midwives for Haiti and Partners in Health, which have helped improve its maternity and other services. It is still though remains under pressure due high patient volume and limited resources. 

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History and challenges 

 

• Pre-2010: Hôpital St. Therese was a low-resource facility serving a rural area and not equipped to handle mass-casualty events. Staff were accustomed to making do with limited supplies.

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• 2010 Earthquake: The earthquake exposed the hospital's vulnerability, and staff had to adapt to a situation with a large influx of patients with severe injuries, despite the  hospital's limited resources. The earthquake caused some structural damage, but Hinche was not as heavily affected as Port-au-Prince.

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• Post-2010: The hospital's capacity was further strained by a sudden increase in the load of patients traveling from Port-au-Prince in search of medical treatment. 

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• Ongoing strain: The hospital continues to face significant pressure. For instance, following the closure of the University Hospital in Mirebalais, Hôpital St. Therese absorbed a massive increase in patients, with outpatient caseloads tripling at one point.

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• Current state: It remains a critically important hospital for the region but is often under massive shortages of supplies such as oxygen and emergency medical kits. 

 

 

Support and improvements.

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• Haitian government: The hospital is a government owned and-funded facility, therefore making it free to the public, but this funding is not always sufficient.

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• Midwives for Haiti: This organization has made significant contributions to the hospital's maternity services, which were historically understaffed.  They have employed graduates of their program to ensure the continuous availability of skilled birth attendants, because in the past there times when no one was present.  They provide support with medical equipment and medications. ​As a result of this support, St. Therese is now a place where many births are attended by skilled birth attendants from the program. 

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• Partners in Health: This NGO has also been a key partner, supplementing services and providing support.  Their involvement has included providing staff and resources for programs like  the tuberculosis program, surgical wards, and intensive care units.

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• Improvements: While challenges remain, the support has led to notable improvements. The staffing now is more adequate, especially for maternity services, and the medication shortages are less frequent compared to the past. 

Despite these advancements, ongoing collaboration among NGOs and local authorities remains
essential to sustain progress and address remaining gaps. Continued investment in training,
infrastructure, and supply chains will help ensure that Hôpital St. Therese can respond effectively
to emergencies and provide consistent quality care for the community.

The AMHE and the AMHE Foundation have remained strong supporters of Hôpital Ste Therese.
Following the catastrophic earthquake of January 12, 2010, both organizations intervened
immediate to provide much needed medical supplies as the facility was facing increased pressure
from the displaced population of the Ouest Department.

Currently, efforts lead by Dr Rony Jean-Mary, immediate past president of the AMHE, are being
deployed to equip the hospital with a renal dialysis suite. This service is urgently needed, since
none is available to Hinche inhabitants and without such services, the renal failure patients face
certain death.

 

Patients with adequate means must either travel to the Dominican Republic under
adverse conditions or attempt to reach Port-au-Prince, crossing at their own risks and perils,
gang-controlled areas. The creation of this center will certainly be a welcome addition to this
essential health center and will have an immediate impact on the health of patients in need of
dialysis.

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