Beraca Medical Center

Support life saving care

Beraca Medical Center

Friends of Humanity volunteers procure, transport, and deliver medical supplies to Beraca Medical Center, the only medical care facility available to the poor of Northwest Haiti.

Beraca Medical Center (Centre Médical Béraca) is a private nonprofit medical facility, clinic and hospital,  located in La Pointe des Palmistes, Port-de-Paix. Originally established by American missionaries as part of House of Hope, today it operates independently as a private nonprofit institution. It offers the only healthcare accessible to the poor in this community of 700,000 residents. Located in a compound next to House of Hope, Beraca Medical Center performs over 800 surgeries and 28,000 checkups per year, and treats an average of 250 patients per day. Primary services include Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pediatrics, and an extensive public health and preventative medical program.

  • Beraca Medical Center: The medical center 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.

Our Impact on Beraca Medical Center

FOH founder Renel Noel was a member of the board of directors for Beraca Medical Center. The hospital had no inpatient bathrooms. Sick and recovering patients had to drag themselves from their beds and trudge outdoors dragging IV stands behind them to attend an outhouse located near the hospital. Those who were too weak or sick to walk were wheeled outside on a gurney. Imagine.

One of the most impactful accomplishments of FOH, partnering with others, was the completion of six indoor bathrooms for use by hospital patients in 2019. Renel raised funds and led teams who worked tirelessly for years to make this project a reality. It is not possible to adequately convey the benefit of indoor bathrooms to these patients in terms of comfort and recovery. These bathrooms also significantly increased hygienic standards at the hospital.

BEFORE: Only outhouses were available at Beraca; some patients had to be transported to them on gurneys.

Indoor bathroom with sink, toilet, shower and diaper changing table

NOW: Patients have six comfortable indoor bathrooms available to them thanks to FOH and partners.

Beraca Medical Center (Centre Médical Béraca) is the only private, 24/7 facility in Northwest Haiti, serving a population of over 700,000.

Haitian couple smiling, holding newborn triplets swathed in blankets

The medical center treats an average of 250 patients per day.

Young patients at Beraca Medical Center