World Bank approves $20 million funding to strengthen health care in Haiti

The World Bank's board of directors has approved an additional $20 million in funding for the Strengthening of Primary Health Care and Surveillance in Haiti (PROSYS) project, which aims to increase the use of primary health care services in specific geographic areas while also strengthening disease surveillance capacity, particularly for cholera.

Laurent Msellati, World Bank Country Manager for Haiti stated that quality healthcare is critical for reducing cyclical poverty, strengthening Haiti's human capital, and enabling future generations to realise their full potential.

"Haiti has been cholera-free for more than 3 years, indicating that the disease has been eradicated; however, more efforts are needed in other critical health areas, as fewer than half of all children are fully vaccinated, and only a third of women give birth in health facilities," said the country manager.

Following the August 2021 earthquake, the World Bank promptly reallocated US$20 million from the PROSYS Project to cover roughly 65 percent of the entire US$31 million reconstruction expenses identified by the Post Disaster Needs Assessment in the health sector.

More than 650,000 people will benefit directly from the repair and renovation of around 30 damaged health infrastructure in the three impacted departments of Nippes, Sud, and Grand'Anse.

The reallocation of funds also allowed for the provision of equipment and supplies to the rehabilitated health facilities, as well as the coordination of all stakeholders involved in the sector's reconstruction efforts.