Beraca Medical Center is a small, nonprofit medical facility located in La Pointe des Palmistes, Port-de-Paix. Originally established by American missionaries as part of House of Hope, today it operates here independently as a private nonprofit institution. It offers the only healthcare accessible to the poor in this community of 500,000 residents.
Beraca Medical Center, which resides in a compound next to House of Hope, serves a community of 500,000 and performs over 800 surgeries and 28,000 checkups per year.
Friends of Humanity volunteers have procured, successfully transported, and delivered medical supplies to Beraca Medical Center from 2003-2012.
Friends of Humanity procured, transported, and provides parts for the only ambulance serving the region of 500,000 residents from 2003 to the present.
Beraca Hospital
The hospital is a 78-bed facility for maternity, surgery, and acute care patients. During the massive cholera epidemic which swept through Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, it was the only facility providing care to indigent children.
Laboratory
Despite rudimentary equipment and conditions, the laboratory performs essential serum and urine studies, including tests for infectious diseases.
Pharmacy
The pharmacy is the only source of basic medications for the hospital and the local community. Because resources are so limited, the ability to provide free medicines to hospital patients and community residents is limited.
Outpatient Clinic
Directed and operated by dedicated nurses and residents, the clinic provides family planning and maternity services, followup for surgical patients, and care for chronic illnesses and conditions such as asthma. It performs more than 28,000 checkups per year.
Dental Clinic
At one time, Beraca Medical Center offered onsite dental services these have been discontinued because there is currently no funding for supplies, equipment, or medical staff.
House of Hope
House of Hope provides care to needy children and contains a pediatric ward for children with severe and disabling vitamin deficiencies, malaria, tuberculosis, and other chronic illnesses.
Because healthier mothers mean fewer orphans, House of Hope takes in both mothers and child for at least a month in cases of critical malnutrition. Many of these young mothers are girls themselves. They are taught childcare skills to deal with the lack of sanitation, refrigeration, and clean water These efforts make a significant impact, but rapidly deplete House of Hope’s meager resources.
