An update from Referral Program Coordinator, Fernande Felix:
In southern Haiti’s most remote, underresourced regions, getting access to high-quality medical care can be very difficult. Hope for Haiti’s referral program serves patients with urgent medical conditions, organizing medical transfers and ensuring they receive emergency care, especially when families cannot afford treatment. This program helps save dozens of lives every year.
One of these saved lives is Zamy Cassami, a 15-year-old girl, the sixth of nine children. She comes from a humble family in southern Haiti. Her parents, like many others in the region, survive by farming and doing small trade.
When Zamy became very sick, her parents took her to the general hospital. The doctors said she urgently needed a laparotomy, a surgical incision into the abdominal cavity to examine the organs and diagnose the issue. But because her family had no money, she could not get the operation. Left untreated, her condition quickly got worse. Her parents were desperate and didn’t know what to do until they heard about Hope for Haiti’s healthcare program and infirmary.
When Zamy arrived at Hope for Haiti’s Infirmary St. Etienne, she was in critical condition. Her mother’s face showed fear and exhaustion. She was ready to say goodbye to her daughter. But thanks to the referral program, Zamy was quickly sent to a partner hospital, where she had the emergency laparotomy, which revealed an intestinal obstruction, and the treatment she needed. Without this operation, she may not have survived.
Hope for Haiti’s referral program made this urgent treatment possible by paying for everything: the surgery, lab tests, medicine, and hospital stay. We believe that access to high-quality healthcare is a human right, and that no family should have to lose a loved one to a treatable condition.
Today, Zamy is back home with her mother, smiling and full of gratitude. She and her family are grateful for the Referral team’s fast action and the healthcare providers at our partner hospital.
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