USAID/Haiti maternal and child health and family planning portfolio review and assessment, August 2008

The team consulted more than 115 documents, interviewed nearly 90 health professionals, and made field visits to four provinces (known in Haiti as departments) and more than 10 health facilities. The team concluded that the most fundamental determinants of poor health status in Haitian women and children are extreme poverty, poor governance, societal collapse, infrastructural insufficiency, and food insecurity. Together, these factors undermine the ability of the Haitian state to efficiently and effectively manage its scarce resources to improve access to and the quality of health services and the ability of the Haitian people to maintain their health and respond effectively to personal health issues. The review team concluded that the USAID Mission portfolio correctly addresses the primary challenges to maternal and child health (MCH) in Haiti through a portfolio that focuses on improved stability through economic growth and jobs creation, improved rule of law and responsive government, and increased access to social services. Except for the striking disproportion of HIV/AIDS funding, overall Mission resource allocation seems to be on track. (Author abstract, modified)