Community participation as a response to the crisis of maternal mortality in Haïti

Abstract

Maternal mortality is an ongoing health crisis in Haiti. Estimated at 523 deaths per 100,000 live births it is the highest rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. There are many factors that influence the dire status of disadvantaged pregnant women in Haiti, such as lack of prenatal care, unsafe and unsanitary deliveries, long walking distance to seek medical care, and inability to pay medical fees. Conditions of ill health such as high maternal mortality can be taken as clear indications of poverty, proxies for the lack of development. It is also argued that this condition is directly related to the lack of community participation, the application of the top-down approach and/or strong external involvement on health policy and health programming in Haiti. However, it has been recognized that economic and social development requires and is predicated on structural change, social transformation or institutional reform.

This study examines the change needed in government policy, in new policy regime supportive of a community-based approach to development and social development, from within civil society and from below, that is, initiated from the grassroots to effectively address this health condition and sustain any health projects in Haiti.

The report of the field study evaluate the extent to which these elements, such as change in government policy, support of a community-based approach to development and social development has been implemented. This report also emphasizes the importance of community participation, mostly the participation of women to tackle this issue.