St. Francois de Sale - Haiti Observer Blog

Port-au-Prince's St. Francois de Sales Hospital has re-opened on the heels of the fifth anniversary of the 2010 earthquake, which occurred January 12th. SFDS is Haiti's original Catholic health care facility. The rebuilt hospital has increased its bed capacity and become a teaching hospital. The Port-au-Prince Archdiocese and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) built the structure with funds contributed by the Catholic Health Association of the United States and the Dominican Republic's Sur Furturo Foundation.

CRS Director Dr. Jude Banatte said the magnitude 7.0 quake demolished almost all of the hospital, killing 70 medical personnel and patients. The former hospital was not built to withstand a high magnitude earthquake, and was ill-prepared for the devastation and loss of life as the earthquake's epicenter occurred only 16 miles from the capital. First responders on the scene had to resort to performing triage in the hospital parking lot. Over the next few days remaining medical personnel and first responders conducted 1,000 surgeries and tended 70,000 wounds.

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