Medical facilities are scarce and mostly sub-standard. Medical care in Port-au-Prince is limited, and the level of community sanitation is low. Medical facilities outside the capital are generally below U.S. standards. Haitian pharmacies may have expired medications on their shelves.
The leading causes of child mortality in Haiti are diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, and malnutrition.

In 1994 there were 49 hospitals and 61 other inpatient facilities, with an estimated 90 beds per 100,000 population. Of the country's total health care facilities, 32% are operated by NGOs. The private, profit-making sector is comprised of physicians, dentists, and other private practice specialists who mostly work in Port-au-Prince and in private health care facilities. Public and private establishments function completely independent of one another with very little networking. Differences in access to adequate health care are further magnified by the uneven geographical distribution of centers and hospital beds.

Physical Infrastructure
 The health care infrastructure and medical equipment are seriously impaired by a lack of maintenance and timely repairs. 

Access to Health Care
A total of 663 health facilities are located throughout the country. According to EMMUS-II most women in urban areas live close to health care facilities (79%-98% in Port-au-Prince and 62%-87 % in other cities). The situation in rural areas is quite different. In 1991, an estimated 40% of population had no access to primary health care services. Disparities are also evident in the deployment of health professionals throughout the country. Approximately 73% of all physicians, 67% of all nurses, 35% of all health care facilities, and 52% of all hospital beds are concentrated in the West Department and serve one-third of the total population. The distribution of population, health care personnel, and beds per 100,000 population by department, revealing the disparities in access to health care in Haiti. 

Lumiere Medical Ministries
3816 S. New Hope Road, Suite 20
Gastonia, NC 28056
Phone: 704-823-0271
Fax: 704-823-0272