Like many other high-risk countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, Haiti needs a sustainable health infrastructure in order to provide rapid post-disaster care and reduce human loss in the future.

To this end, the office of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in Haiti, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, agreed in 2019 on the construction of a Reception Service and modernized and fully functional Emergency Treatment Unit (SAU) in one of the most important university hospitals in Port-au-Prince: the University Hospital of Peace (HUP).

This project is part of PAHO/WHO's3Smart Hospital3 initiative, already successfully implemented in the Caribbean region. This is the first such project in Haiti and great progress has been made since its launch, including construction of the complex which began in May 2021.

The new outpatient emergency room was custom designed and built, in accordance with the concept of smart hospital and the provision of emergency care services. The structure of the building is designed to withstand major natural hazards in Haiti, including hurricanes and earthquakes. Non-structural, mechanical and electrical services are designed to meet international safety standards. The complex will have emergency power supply and water storage capacities to maintain operations in the event of a national shortage or blackout.

Other measures have been incorporated into this project to improve the environmental aspect of the facility, including the use of insulated wall panels to reduce air conditioning costs, rainwater collecting for toilets and use of environmentally and energy efficient plumbing and electrical appliances.

The new SAU will have a capacity of 13 inpatient beds. Services will include examination rooms, laboratory, mobile radiography, sterilization, suture and plaster room.

HL/ HaitiLibre