Haiti
Gambade is a small village, which sits in the rugged mountainous region of Grande-Rivière-du-Nord in Northern Haiti. It has a population upwards of 20,000 people and previously had no primary medical care.
The nearest hospital was located 10 kilometers away in the town of Grande-Rivière-du-Nord. A larger hospital in Cap-Haitian is 37 kilometers away. While these distances seem small, the mountainous terrain around Gambade makes travel extremely difficult and hazardous. During the rainy season, roads are impassable, making it impossible to get adequate medical care. There is spark of light in the darkness. Small steps were being taken at the grassroots level. These steps are making a tremendous difference in the lives of local people.
For 10 years, during the consultation, planning, fund raising, construction and staffing phases the Gambade Team persevered. While the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic forced a pause, it did not stop progress. Persistence and a faith that considers all people to have immense value because God loves them prevailed.
March 20, 2023, was the opening day of the clinic as a primary Healthcare Centre. Approximately 20 patients are seen each day. There are 11 staff positions ranging from a doctor, nurses, administrator, and administrative support personnel to a lab technician, pharmacist, and cleaning staff. The staff treat a wide range of medical conditions typical of an agrarian, tropical area including many waterborne and airborne illnesses. The modest and affordable flat fee charged for all interventions to the people in Gambade is structured to cover the cost of basic and common drugs that are provided.
Photo: The Gambade Medical Clinic Staff
How has all this been received by the people in Gambade? You can imagine what the people in the area thought. From doubt and skepticism as the project dragged on, to elation when the clinic opened, the project has been exceedingly well received.
So, there is a glimmer of Hope in the otherwise pervading darkness that is Haiti, and it often comes in small steps backed by an enduring outlook that there can be a better way. It requires effort, commitment, and support.
The current and ongoing challenge for the Gambade Medical Clinic is finding a source of sustained long-term funding for the staffing costs. There are 11 staff and the average annual cost across all positions is $6000 Cdn per staff or $500 per month. There is no Government funding.
This is where you might be able to help.
The Gambade Team (the group of Canadians that has carried the project thus far) invites you to consider supporting the clinic through our Adopt-a-Staff initiative. We encourage groups and corporations to take on the cost of one staff member with an annual donation of $6,000. Individuals are invited to join our community of monthly donors at a level of $60 or more — and together provide the support needed for our Staffing Fund.
This way, the Clinic is assured steady and sufficient funding for its Staffing cost to continue the good work that has started at Gambade Medical Clinic. You would become part of a movement of providing Hope in a part of the world that desperately needs it. You would accomplish much.
In most parts of Haiti, when we provide income to a family member, we feed the whole family. Your commitment and contribution will not only provide income for the Staff, but also go a long way of supporting family members of the Staff and make a difference for the community of Gambade and the surrounding region.
Thank you for partnering with us.
Photo: A patient being sent to the hospital for further treatment after being diagnosed with cholera at the clinic. Staff are outfitting the motor bike with a rudimentary IV bag carrier to assist a patient in transportation.
TEAM LEADERS: Rob Black (Project Support Team), Peter Agwa (Medical Team)
