Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Michele Sison joined the Haitian Ministry of Health, the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to inaugurate the new Center for Infectious Disease and Emergency Care (CIDEC) in St. Boniface in the commune of Fond des Blancs (South Dept.)

The center is a state-of-the-art 33-bed treatment facility that includes isolation wards to treat patients and protect the public from contagious diseases like cholera and tuberculosis. Since opening in March, the emergency wing has treated nearly 5,000 patients. The infectious disease wing has already successfully treated a case of diphtheria, a highly contagious and serious bacterial infection.

The construction of CIDEC was funded to the tune of $500,000 from USAID's Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA). ASHA provides assistance to schools, libraries, and medical centers; and most recently funded the construction of the new surgical ward at St. Boniface. This ward is the only fully functioning surgical center on South Departmentthat provides care to all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

"Today's inauguration highlights the partnership between the American people and the people of Haiti," said Ambassador Sison. "This Center for Infectious Disease and Emergency Care will enable the amazing doctors, nurses, and technicians here to respond to public health emergencies and tackle the problem of tuberculosis in the region."

Additional recipients of USAID/ASHA grants include St. Luke Foundation; Catholic Relief Services for equipment at Hospital St. Francois de Sales; Albert Schweitzer Hospital; and the International Child Care's training center and inpatient childcare unit. Since 1979, ASHA grants have provided over $21 million to projects in Haiti.

HL/ HaitiLibre