A Health Care and Disaster Preparedness Campus in Haiti
Summary
In 2025, Hope for Haiti committed to establish a state-of-the-art health care and disaster preparedness campus in southern Haiti by the end of 2028 to expand health care access and strengthen regional resilience. The campus will serve as a hub for health and emergency response and restore and expand access to low- and no-cost primary, maternal, and chronic care services for 100,000 people; support public health programs like nutrition and cancer screening; and serve as a center for training for nurses, doctors, community health workers, and more. Hope for Haiti will partner with the Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population and collaborate with a robust network of more than 60 health care organizations. These partners will help coordinate referrals, share access to medication, and expand the reach and impact of the campus. By integrating health care delivery with disaster readiness, the campus will improve daily health outcomes and long-term community resilience, improving lives today and building a stronger, more prepared future for southern Haiti.
Approach
Hope for Haiti commits to designing, constructing, and operating a state-of-the-art Healthcare and Disaster Preparedness Campus in southern Haiti to expand healthcare access and strengthen regional resilience. The campus will serve as a resilient hub for health and emergency response, and will include an outpatient clinic, pharmacy, medication storage depot, chronic care unit, maternal health suite, nutrition program, and a training center. It will be powered by solar energy, equipped with clean water systems, and built to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, ensuring continuity of care.
Hope for Haiti has more than 35 years of experience in rural healthcare, public health, and emergency response. Its team of over 100 full-time Haitian staff, supported by a small U.S.-based leadership and fundraising team, offers the expertise, local trust, and operational infrastructure to deliver on this commitment. Hope for Haiti will partner with the Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population (MSPP) and collaborate with a robust network of over 60 healthcare organizations. These partners will help coordinate referrals, share access to medication, and expand the reach and impact of the campus. Philanthropic and corporate partners will play a vital role by funding capital and programmatic needs and contributing in-kind resources such as medication, medical equipment, solar technology, and infrastructure.
The new campus will restore and expand access to low- and no-cost primary, maternal, and chronic care services; support public health programs like nutrition and cancer screening; and serve as a center for training for nurses, doctors, community health workers, and more. This commitment addresses the root causes of health inequity and builds local capacity to withstand future shocks. By integrating healthcare delivery with disaster readiness, the campus will improve daily health outcomes and long-term community resilience, improving lives today and building a stronger, more prepared future for southern Haiti.
Action Plan
Hope for Haiti will implement its Healthcare and Disaster Preparedness Campus through a structured, 36-month timeline beginning in December 2025. That month will mark the completion of the land purchase, site due diligence, and environmental and geotechnical assessments. Build Health International, the selected architectural and engineering partner, will lead the design process. From January to March 2026, final designs will be completed in collaboration with local Haitian engineers, and construction permits will be secured from government authorities.
At the same time, Hope for Haiti will launch a capital campaign to fund the project. This will begin with a six-month silent phase targeting major donors, foundations, and corporate partners to secure lead commitments. A public campaign will follow in late 2026 to expand donor engagement and meet full funding goals.
Construction will begin in January 2027 with site preparation, installation of solar energy and water systems, and the foundation of the main buildings. Key facilities, including the outpatient clinic, pharmacy, maternal health suite, chronic care unit, and administrative offices, will be built throughout 2027, with disaster-resilient design integrated into all structures.
From March to June 2028, interior work will be completed, and medical and digital health equipment will be installed. Hope for Haiti will begin hiring and training staff, and will coordinate with MSPP and over 60 local healthcare partners to establish referral systems, integrate services, and align on emergency response protocols. Community outreach and health education initiatives will also begin.
A soft launch will take place from July to November 2028 to test services and gather feedback. By December 2028, the campus will be fully operational as a regional hub for healthcare delivery and disaster preparedness. Monitoring and evaluation systems will support continuous improvement and long-term impact.
Background
Southern Haiti faces urgent challenges including limited access to quality medical care, vulnerability to natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, and the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals due to insecurity and lack of infrastructure. The 2021 earthquake destroyed or damaged more than 80 healthcare facilities in the region, including Hope for Haiti’s Infirmary St. Etienne, leaving tens of thousands without reliable care (PAHO, 2021) . Compounding this crisis, over 70% of Haiti’s population lacks access to essential health services (WHO, 2023) , and health workers often migrate away due to unsafe conditions, poor facilities, and limited professional support.
Southern Haiti faces acute disaster risk, with frequent hurricanes, floods, and seismic activity. Yet, the region lacks a centralized, resilient hub for emergency response and recovery. This vulnerability puts lives at risk and strains the fragile health system when crises strike, highlighting the critical need to strengthen emergency preparedness and coordination in the region.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
To complete and scale this commitment, Hope for Haiti is seeking a range of strategic resources and partnerships. These include philanthropic funding and catalytic capital to support construction, staffing, and equipment for the Healthcare and Disaster Preparedness Campus. The organization also seeks implementing partners with expertise in maternal health, chronic disease management, disaster response systems, and digital health integration. In-kind donations such as medication, medical equipment, solar technology, and construction materials are welcome. Additionally, Hope for Haiti is looking for partners with experience in workforce development and training for health professionals in low-resource and post-disaster settings. Support for media visibility, storytelling, and advocacy is also sought to amplify the voices of local communities and raise awareness about the urgent healthcare needs in southern Haiti.,As part of this commitment, Hope for Haiti is offering its expertise in rural healthcare delivery, disaster preparedness, and public health programming in low-resource settings. With over 35 years of experience and a network of more than 60 healthcare partners in southern Haiti, the organization can share best practices in community health systems strengthening, digital health implementation, and solar-powered and clean water infrastructure development. Hope for Haiti will also offer partner organizations free medication donated by Gift-in-Kind partners, use of its training facility, and direct collaboration and patient referrals.