Canadian University Projects in International Development Database (CUPID)

Americas

Haiti

• Women's Health Initiative
• Quartiers précaires et développement urbain durable en Haïti

Quartiers précaires et développement urbain durable en Haïti

Project purpose:
The objectives of this project are to consolidate Quisqueya University's (UNIQ) ability to offer urban management and development training in a disadvantaged urban setting and to promote good local government through the participation of communities, the private sector, communal authorities and the government.

Key results to date:
During the first year of the project implementation, the Academic Council and High Council of l'Université Quisqueya approved the course layout and the content of the master's program (level 1) in planning and development of disadvantaged neighborhoods applied to developing countries. The program will be launched in September 2008 and steps to establish the selection process for students are underway. The partners have also defined the exact needs of the reference and support centre that will be created. The centre will be instrumental to the research and activities that will be carried out on disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Several project activities will take place in the heart of the shanty towns.

Women's Health Initiative

Project purpose:
The goal of the project was to reduce pregnancy related maternal morbidity and mortality through an interprofessional strategy focused primarily on strengthening the training of health care personnel (physicians, nurses, midwives and community health care workers including traditional birth attendants). An important component was enhancing and extending the skills of teachers and future maternity care providers to understand, participate in and evaluate community-based primary health care for women.

Key results to date:
The development of new and unprecedented inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional partnerships, capable of providing leadership in maternal health, led to the convening of the first-ever Haitian national maternal health forum. This forum created a national platform to promote greater collaboration, advocacy, policy development and accountability, and involved public, private, NGO and donor representatives. Curricula was revised for medical, nursing and midwifery students and a resources area with 12 workstations was established for students and teachers, providing access to international and up-to-date materials previously unavailable. Community maternal health placements were created for 468 students, including two inter-professional team placements,in rural and urban locations. Training was expanded and strengthened for 351 traditional birth attendants (TBAs). The hospital at Grand Rivière du Nord was equipped to provide basic emergency obstetrical care and to pilot the inclusion of TBAs in hospital care. The project expanded access to pre and postnatal care for 6,104 women, provided contraceptive services to 1,806 to women and partners, and delivered reproductive health information to 2,463 community members.