Hope in the Skies for the Mothers of Haiti
Summary
In 2024, Haiti Air Ambulance (HAA) committed to addressing Haiti’s maternal health care crisis and offer hope in the skies for the mothers of Haiti. With one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti faces societal collapse and legal instability, putting pregnant women and new mothers at risk of maternal death. HAA aims to significantly improve maternal and infant health outcomes by integrating trained midwives into its operations and expanding air transportation efforts. To enhance overall supply chain infrastructure, HAA works to provide consistent access to essential medical supplies and equipment for women and children. This commitment would expand support to more than 4,000 individuals in 2025 across hard-to-reach, rural regions, emphasizing sustainable solutions to combat maternal mortality in Haiti. By bolstering maternal health care capabilities, HAA aims to save lives, contribute to rebuilding Haiti’s maternal health care system, and foster long-term resilience despite social and governance obstacles.
Approach
HAA is expanding its capabilities in two significant ways. First, HAA is introducing a humanitarian plane—the first of its kind in Haiti. Unlike the helicopters, which primarily focus on patient transport, this plane will enhance HAA’s medical supply chain and logistics support, addressing the urgent need for efficient distribution of medical supplies across the country. The plane will facilitate timely delivery of essential medical supplies, including medications, equipment, and emergency kits, to hospitals and clinics nationwide. This is especially critical for remote and underserved regions, such as Cap-Haitien, rural communities in the north and south, and areas near the Dominican Republic border. By ensuring a steady flow of resources, HAA aims to improve healthcare quality and ensure that no facility is left without the tools necessary to save lives.
In conjunction with this logistical expansion, HAA is collaborating with Midwives for Haiti on an initiative focused on training and placing professional midwives. This addresses the maternal health crisis in Haiti, where maternal mortality rates are alarmingly high, and up to 70 mothers die each rainy season traveling to access proper healthcare. Midwives for Haiti will provide comprehensive supplemental training programs to equip existing midwives with advanced skills in maternal and neonatal care, emergency response, and modern medical technologies. The goal is to expand from 10 to at least 20 communities and train an additional 50 midwives, ultimately reaching thousands more women.
The integration of midwives into HAA’s operations will be supported by HAA’s helicopter transport and supply chain capabilities, ensuring midwives have consistent access to necessary medical supplies and equipment. This holistic approach aims to create a safer environment for mothers and babies across Haiti, demonstrating HAA’s unwavering commitment to the well-being of the Haitian people.
Action Plan
In early 2025, Haiti Air Ambulance (HAA) and Midwives for Haiti will launch a vital project to improve maternal health and medical logistics in Haiti. From January to March, they will define roles, conduct a needs assessment, and identify key regions for implementation. During this time, HAA will procure and equip a humanitarian plane, enhance the emergency communication network, and finalize the midwifery training curriculum. The recruitment of 40 midwife candidates will take place, and training facilities will be prepared for the first sessions. These sessions, lasting three months, will cover maternal and neonatal care, emergency response, and modern medical technologies, leading to certification in advanced midwifery practices.
Starting in April, the program will implement logistics and supply chain operations with initial flights, deploying the first cohort of 20 trained midwives in selected communities. These midwives will integrate into HAA’s communication network for real-time support, while training for the remaining 20 midwives continues.
By July, the program will expand, reaching more communities and increasing the frequency and coverage of humanitarian plane deliveries, especially in remote areas. The outcomes of the initial phase will be evaluated, gathering feedback to refine operations.
From October to December, the focus will be on continuous improvement. Ongoing monitoring systems will track the program’s effectiveness, collecting and analyzing data on health outcomes, midwife performance, and supply chain efficiency. A comprehensive evaluation at the end of the year will highlight successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.
Throughout 2025, HAA and Midwives for Haiti will engage with community leaders and healthcare providers, run public awareness campaigns, and seek additional funding to support and expand the program. This initiative aims to train and deploy 40 midwives in the first year, with the long-term goal of reducing maternal mortality rates in Haiti significantly. By combining the capabilities of a humanitarian plane with advanced midwifery training, HAA demonstrates its commitment to the well-being of the Haitian people, building on a decade of lifesaving service.
Background
Haiti is facing a profound maternal healthcare crisis, with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the Western Hemisphere. According to the World Health Organization, Haiti’s maternal mortality ratio is approximately 480 deaths per 100,000 live births, significantly above the regional average. This crisis stems from inadequate access to skilled birth attendants, insufficient medical supplies, and limited healthcare infrastructure, especially in rural areas where many women give birth without professional medical assistance. Additionally, healthcare facilities often lack necessary equipment and medications. Frequent natural disasters and political instability further disrupt healthcare services and supply chains, making pregnant women and new mothers especially vulnerable. Addressing this crisis requires enhancing the training and resources available to midwives, who are crucial in providing maternal care.
Haiti Air Ambulance (HAA) , established in 2014, is the country’s only non-profit helicopter emergency medical service, providing rapid and reliable air medical transport. Serving as a critical lifeline, HAA ensures patients receive timely, essential care. Pregnant women and newborns constitute 40% of HAA’s patients, underscoring its focus on maternal and infant health. HAA is dedicated to improving healthcare access in remote and underserved areas. In addition to emergency services, HAA collaborates with local healthcare providers and NGOs to enhance their capabilities through training and resources. This commitment reflects HAA’s vision of a healthier Haiti where everyone has access to lifesaving medical care, continuously expanding its services and integrating innovative solutions to serve and uplift the people of Haiti.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
HAA is seeking additional financial resources in support of its existing operations and growth strategy. As a ten year, 24/7/365 non profit in Haiti, HAA is uniquely positioned to initiate these new programs to immediately address ever changing needs within the nation. This support may be aided by strategic implementation partnerships, and increased exposure through media and marketing support., HAA remains committed to providing in-country logistical and supply chain support to like-minded organizations as needed, and is available to share best practices and expertise whenever possible. We are also always open to exploring new implementing partnerships, recognizing the importance of collaboration in meeting the complex and urgent challenges in a country like Haiti.