Five years after an earthquake destroyed St. Francis de Sales Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the hospital is set to re-open in a new, modern facility, thanks in large part to generous support of Catholic health care organizations in the United States. The new St. Francis de Sales is one of the first public buildings to be completed in the Haitian capital. The 200-bed hospital, which will be dedicated Jan. 15, is owned and governed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince.

Recall that the earthquake leveled 80% of the buildings of the hospital center, including the pediatric and general inpatient wards. An estimated 70 patients, visitors and staff were killed when the hospital buildings collapsed. Following its initial emergency response, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) joined with the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince to plan for the rebuilding of St. Francis de Sales. The Catholic Health Association of the United States organized a fundraising effort, to support the reconstruction, and association member organizations contributed more than $10.1 million to CRS for the project.

Catholic Relief Services jointly funded and supervised the construction of the new 125,000-square-foot (12,500 m2) hospital. "The rebuilt St. Francis de Sales Hospital is more than a first-rate medical facility," said Carolyn Woo, president and chief executive officer of CRS. "It will also help train the doctors and nurses of Haiti's future to provide the quality health care the country deserves."

HL/ HaitiLibre