Partners In Health has been working in Haiti for over three decades, and in the midst of the country’s current crisis, the global health organization is drawing on its past experience to treat patients in the face of spiraling violence, supply shortages, and exhaustion.
“All our clinics are open, even though we are experiencing major issues to move drugs and medical equipment, and our staff as well,” Dr. Wesler Lambert, executive director of Zanmi Lasante, the nonprofit affiliated with Partners In Health in Haiti, told Devex in an interview. Zanmi Lasante is one of the largest health care providers in Haiti, operating 17 clinics with a focus on the country’s central plateau.
But it’s unclear just how long the organization can continue its model. After years of violence, Haiti plunged into chaos last month after gangs took control over much of the capital of Port-au-Prince and brought the country to a standstill.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
