Volunteer: HAS, Physician Specialists

Background: Project HOPE has been working in communities throughout the Americas since 1962, when the SS HOPE first docked in Peru in 1970. HOPE's long-term programs have ranged from the development of basic health training programs for mothers, to major infrastructure reform to humanitarian assistance in times of natural disaster. Project HOPE programs are developed in partnership with local counterparts to meet the particular demands of the communities, within local constraints and culture. 

Project HOPE was one of 300 organizations that responded to the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January 2010. Using our strong base of operations in the Dominican Republic, Project HOPE was able to send needed medical supplies to Haiti immediately. In addition, four days after the earthquake in Haiti, the USNS Comfort, a 900-foot floating hospital ship, set sail from Baltimore with two Project HOPE staff and one volunteer aboard, to help the Navy determine which medical specialists to recruit to care for the injured. Over the following weeks, HOPE provided 80 specialized medical volunteers who collaborated with Navy staff to treat nearly 1,000 wounded, referred to the ship from throughout the country.

Project HOPE has since worked with the Hospital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschapelles, Haiti, providing volunteer physical therapists to assist with the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims. Project HOPE then deployed a variety of volunteer healthcare specialists to HAS during the cholera outbreaks in 2010 and 2011.

Mission: Project HOPE is looking to deploy physician specialists to HAS immediately in order to augment and fill chronic personnel gaps in the hospital, through the provision of clinical services. The intent is to help strengthen the health system in the Deschapelles area by covering down on services where current staffing is low.

HAS Facts: HAS was established in 1956 and serves as a referral hospital for more than 345,000 impoverished people in the Artibonite Valley of central Haiti. In addition, HAS provides community-based primary medical care and development programs. An integrated rural health system, HAS is a model for health care facilities in developing countries around the world. HAS is a 130-bed referral hospital that provides surgical services, internal medicine, pediatrics, high-risk maternity care, diagnostic services, and rehabilitation.

Needs and Requirements: Project HOPE is looking for the following:

1) Anesthesiologist/CRNA: CRNAs will fill the same role as the anesthesiologist. These specialists must deploy for a minimum of two weeks (longer is preferred), must be comfortable with both adult and pediatrics, and must be able to perform both spinal and general anesthesia.

2) Orthopedic Surgeon: Must be longer term, with a minimum of one month (3 months or more is preferable).

3) OB-GYN: These specialists must deploy for a minimum of two weeks (longer is preferred).

4) Urologist: These specialists must deploy for a minimum of two weeks (longer is preferred).

Additional Information:

1) All volunteers must be board certified.

2) Due to the nature of the work, Creole and/or French are not required for these positions.

3) If surgeons are able to coordinate deployment with an anesthesiologist or CRNA, that is preferred, however not required.

4) All positions will report to the HAS Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Herrio Sannon.

Expenses:

1) The volunteer must cover the cost of airfare.

2) Room and board will be provided by HAS at no cost to the volunteer. Volunteers will be housed at the International House on campus.

3) Airport transfers to/from airport and HAS will be provided by HAS at no cost to the volunteer.

4) Project HOPE will provide medical malpractice insurance, worker’s compensation, and evacuation insurance. It is recommended the volunteer provide their own traveler’s insurance.

Visa Requirement: NO

Malaria Prophylaxis Requirement: YES

Vaccine Recommendations: MMR, DPT, Polio, Hep A, Hep B, and Typhoid

Safety/Security: There are no "safe” areas in Haiti. However, Deschapelles is considered relatively safe and there are few, if any, known incidents in the town or on the campus. HAS and the town of Deschapelles are very integrated and there is community “ownership” of the hospital and many of the families in the area are employed by the hospital. Thus, Project HOPE feels living and working at HAS to be a safe and secure environment for volunteers.

Further information on the program will be provided upon request.

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