For 67 years, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti (HAS) has been an international model for health care, disease prevention, and education in the developing world. Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere, and is also home to the hemisphere’s highest rates of infant, under-five, and maternal mortality. Since 1956, HAS has been providing crucial healthcare to the medically under-served population of the Artibonite region in central Haiti—healthcare that, in many cases, would otherwise be unavailable. HAS was founded by Dr. Larry Mellon and Mrs. Gwen Mellon, who were inspired by the Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian work of Dr. Albert Schweitzer. HAS, a 200-bed hospital—the only 24/7 full-service hospital in the region—serves a population of 350,000 over a 610-square-mile area. HAS is located in the rural Artibonite Valley, a region of Haiti that is economically, agriculturally, and environmentally significant to the entire country. A great deal of Haiti’s agricultural activities take place here, and the Artibonite River watershed system is important to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Public health outreach initiatives to remote and mountain communities remain a constant challenge for HAS, due to geography and transportation access issues. However, HAS remains committed to bringing lifesaving vaccines, preventative care, and health education to these poor and isolated communities, and operates four remote community health centers and multiple mobile clinics. HAS serves as the main referral hospital for the entire region, and acts as a lifesaving resource for patients requiring surgical services, emergency and specialized care. Each and every day, HAS delivers lifesaving, compassionate care. Visit www.hashaiti.org to learn how you can make a difference today.
