On Tuesday, Marie Greta Roy Clément, Minister of Public Health, accompanied by her Chief of Staff, Dr Eddy Jean Baptiste, in the presence of Dr Martial Bénêche, Director of the West Health Director (DSO), the Director of the Hospital Notre Dame of Petit-Goâve, Dr. Ernso Charléus, the deputy of Gressier, Véricain Antonio, the Mayor of Gressier, Jean Joseph Hilaire, local authorities and foreign partners, including UNICEF and UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services), inaugurated the new Gressier Maternity Building of Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (BEmONC - SONUB in french).

This modern, multi-room, 17-bed maternity facility will improve the health of pregnant women and enable them to give birth in better conditions.

In his speech, Dr Martial Bénêche expressed his willingness to find a solution to the problems "We are here to bring an element of solution to a problem that is constantly giving us trouble [...] our country has the highest maternal death rate in the region [...] I would like to emphasize to officials and staff of all categories that their contribution to reducing the maternal death rate must be through adherence to national standards and procedures in this regard, the availability of essential drugs and inputs, availability of staff, maintenance of materials and equipment, cleanliness of the physical space [...]" promising the coaching and necessary support from the West Health Directorate to the Maternity of Gressier.

The Minister Clement stressed that "[...] This new construction is the result of a partnership between UNOPS, the Canadian Embassy and UNICEF whom we thank for their support in the completion of this infrastructure which will help us to resolve some of the problems related to pregnancy and childbirth [...] This maternity, whose mission is to provide emergency B-level obstetric care, is expected to serve a population of about 33,000 residents and provide integrated reproductive health services. It will operate 24 hours a day and is part of the logic of reducing maternal mortality [...] There is no question of letting a pregnant woman die while she gives birth to a child [...]"

For the Mayor of Gressier "The inauguration of this maternity marks the beginning of a new era in Gressier, it will improve the quality of health at the commune level [...]" Deputy Antonio Véricain recalled that this maternity was "[...] the result of a very long struggle. The population of the back community suffers because it does not have access to health care [...] Having a SONUB in Gressier is good, but providing this commune with a standard hospital will be fair because the population deserve it. That is my vow. I am sure the follow-up will be done [...]"

HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goâve)