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In Haiti, Local-Led Approach Leads to New Hospital Opening Despite Crisis

After the 2021 earthquake destroyed a critical health facility in Haiti, leaders worked to rebuild a hospital, despite immense challenges.

News

Haiti

A baby receives care at the new hospital in Petit Trou, Haiti. (Photo courtesy of Locally Haiti)
By Noah Smith

A new community hospital and health center opened in February in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, Haiti, marking a positive milestone in a country facing ongoing humanitarian and security crises. The facility replaces the town’s only health center, which was destroyed in 2021’s deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake, leaving more than 40,000 people without access to local clinical care for more than three years. The earthquake’s epicenter was in Petit Trou.

The hospital’s completion was led by the nonprofit Locally Haiti in collaboration with local officials and the country’s Ministry of Health, and was supported by $619,000 in grants from Direct Relief. The funding included specific support for solar backup power and cold storage for temperature-sensitive medications. Marking the significance of the hospital’s opening, Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and Minister of Health Dr. Sinal Bertrand attended its inauguration event.

“We were already working in Petit Trou, supporting community health and other programs in the commune [municipality],” said Wynn Walent, executive director of Locally Haiti, which focuses on supporting institutions and programs in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes. “When the earthquake hit and the health center was destroyed, the Ministry of Health and the mayor’s office asked us to not just replace what was there, but to improve on it,” he said.

The brand new facility will fill a critical healthcare gap in the area since the 2021 earthquake in the region. (Locally Haiti photo)

Locally Haiti’s longstanding presence in the region and existing partnerships allowed for rapid response. Shortly after the earthquake, the organization coordinated with Direct Relief to deliver emergency tents and other medical aid through the airport.

“We went to Petit Trou right after the quake. I remember meeting at the airport and clearing through durable, ventilated emergency response tents from Direct Relief and other critical supplies,” said Walent. “We got those tents up to provide a short-term, safe solution so care could continue.”

Planning for the new hospital began in meetings held in the courtyard of the destroyed health center. “We sat in the courtyard of the irreparably damaged facility and just brainstormed— how could we make the best use of resources and partnerships? This is what the local leaders asked us to do,” he said, noting Locally Haiti’s general role as a “bridge for investments” as well as, in this project, specifically managing the design, engineering, and construction of the new facility.

Students walking past the newly-opened hospital in Petit Trou on February 17, 2025 (Photo courtesy of Locally Haiti)

Walent attributes much of the project’s success to strong partnerships. “Having the mayor’s office and Ministry of Health fully invested in every step of implementation was key— community buy-in, local labor, local logistics,” he said.

Logistical challenges were significant. With instability in Port-au-Prince, the team relied on barges and southern entry points to move materials. “Some supplies came from the south, some from the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. Those that came through Port-au-Prince had to get to Miragoâne and then out to Petit Trou. Our contractor was aggressive on timelines, even working under floodlights at night,” said Walent.

Interior of the new hospital in Petit Trou. (Photo courtesy of Locally Haiti)

From the August 2021 earthquake until the hospital’s opening on February 17, 2025, there was no permanent facility for clinical care in the region, even as Haiti’s southern region has seen a sharp rise in internally displaced people fleeing violence. “Petit Trou is a regional town and it’s grown fast. There’s been a 50% increase in local school enrollment,” Walent said. “Community health workers and staff, who were already overburdened, are now hosting extended family who’ve fled Port-au-Prince… and now we’re seeing a major increase in patients compared to pre-2021.”

Members of U.S. Southern Command Joint Task Force-Haiti and senior leaders in Haiti visit the earthquake epicenter in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, Haiti, Aug. 21, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Tech. Sgt. Marleah Cabano/ USAF)

Walent stressed that while the hospital is now open, challenges, particularly related to operating the hospital, remain. “It’s a hopeful thing. There aren’t many projects like this happening in Haiti right now,” he said. “But no one here is naïve. There are still big hurdles, especially with USAID cuts. We’re stretching to cover that gap.”

Still, he believes the effort demonstrates what can be achieved with deep local involvement. “We’re not trying to reduce or ignore how difficult things are. People we speak with in Port-au-Prince say it’s worse than ever,” Walent said. “We’re also really proud to have completed this project and helped the people in this community.”

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