In 2000, there were 260,000 people living with HIV-AIDS in Haiti—with an estimated 30,000 new cases each year.

The CIDA and the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population, who agree on the priority of the fight against AIDS in this country, have decided—in order to maximize efficiency and concentrate available resources—to focus the Canadian intervention on one department: Artibonite, a region that presents a slightly higher prevalence than the estimated national average.

The Project to Support the Fight against STI/HIV-AIDS in Haiti (French acronym: PALIH) is a five-year project which started in December 2002. It is implemented by the CCISD and the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI). Local technical support is being provided by Community Health Units (French acronym: UCS), supervised by Artibonite’s regional health directorate.

The PALIH Project is assisting the Ministry of Public Health and Population with one of its main reorganization strategies by providing support, strengthening and helping set up UCSs. This support, which started in two of Artibonite’s seven UCSs, namely: Saint-Marc-Des-Dunes-Grande Saline (UCS-SDG) and Petite Rivière-Verrettes-La Chapelle (UCS-PVL), will soon be extend to other UCSs.

Project implementation will be comprised of three main elements, which are: (1) strengthening local governance, (2) strengthening the provision of integrated health services and health care, and (3) setting up STI/HIV-AIDS-specific initiatives. Special activities will focus on the participation, on STI/HIV-AIDS training, and on different approaches followed by the project, and on project follow-up/management. Participative and gender-focused approaches are integrated into each step and component of the Project.

With the intent of preventing new STI/HIV-AIDS cases, the Project will support:

·            the promotion of STI/HIV-AIDS transmission control methods both in high-risk groups (commercial sex workers and their clients, youths, migrants, and students) and in other groups;

·            the reinforcement of an accessible and efficient network of STI control services, which means: upgrading the skills of health workers, ensuring access to essential and generic drugs; and helping with training supervision;

·            the prevention of mother to child / parent to child HIV transmission, and the care provided by community groups to people either living with AIDS or affected by it;  

·            information, education and communication (IEC) and behaviour change communication (BCC) campaigns. Implemented by Haitian NGOs and supported by the Project, these campaigns target community organizations and high-risk environments where they are likely to produce a continuous and multiplying effect;

·            Artibonite’s epidemiological surveillance system.
 

The Team (January 25, 2006)

Martine BERNIER, M. Sc. Projet Coordinator in Haiti
Marie-Émilie DAMIER, MPH, FDF, Deputy Coordinator and Public Health Expert
Jean-Marie BOISROND, M.D., Supervisor, Integrated Healthcare Services
Gérard A. JOSEPH, M.D., MPH, Supervisor, Health Services
Ludzen SYLVESTRE, M.D., Supervisor, Specific Initiatives
Anne-Marie THIMOTHÉE ROBERT, IL, Attorney, Gender and Development Supervisor
Ivrose LOUIS, Administration and Finance assistant
Marie Mona Bernard ROMEUS, Secretary-Receptionist
Natacha THONY, Accountant-assistant
Louis-Charles DERILUS, Driver and Logistic Agent
Carlin ÉLIACIN, Driver
Paulinet LAUTURE, Driver
Lionel LÉGER, Watchman and Caretaker
Joceline SYLVESTRE, Caretaker