Haiti Strengthens Community Health Initiatives with New Strategic Plan

The Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) of Haiti is reinforcing its commitment to community health through the implementation of a new strategic plan and recent workshops focused on prioritizing interventions. These efforts aim to improve access to primary healthcare and address critical health needs at the community level.

New Leadership at the Directorate of Health Promotion and Environmental Protection

Dr. Noel Francisco was officially installed as the Director of the Directorate of Health Promotion and Environmental Protection (DPSPE) on August 22, 2024, under the leadership of MSPP Director General Dr. Gabriel Timothée. Shelnews and RTVHaiti reported on the installation, noting the presence of central and departmental directors, technical and financial partners, and Dr. Noel’s family, and friends. Dr. Francisco succeeds Dr. R. Dupuy in this role.

During his installation, Dr. Noel expressed his commitment to collaborating with other central directorates to support departmental teams and bring healthcare closer to Haitian communities. RTVHaiti quoted him stating, “I have accepted with great honor and indescribable joy the invitation to join the senior staff of the MSPP through this appointment as director of the DPSPE in order to engage a little more with the other central directions in supporting the departmental teams to get much closer to the communities within the framework of the ministry’s commitment to guaranteeing primary health care to the Haitian population.”

Community Health Strategic Plan 2020-2030

The MSPP’s Community Health Strategic Plan 2020–2030 (PSSC) provides the framework for guiding community health interventions to achieve national health objectives. A recent workshop, held from February 24-27, 2026, focused on determining priority interventions for the period 2025-2028. The workshop involved key stakeholders, including representatives from PAHO/WHO and UNFPA, as well as MSPP executives.

The workshop aimed to:

• Select interventions to be carried out between 2025 and 2028.
• Define activities within the selected interventions.
• Develop guidelines and tools for annual action plans at the departmental level.
• Schedule activities for each department.

The development of the Operational Plan for the first triennium (2021–2024) was based on priorities identified through an analysis of the national context, with the goal of progressing towards universal health coverage. OPS/OMS Haiti highlights that the MSPP, through the DPSPE, is developing the National Health Adaptation Plan (PNAS) 2025-2029 to anticipate, prevent, and manage climate-related health risks.

Accessing Health Information in Haiti

For more information on health services and initiatives in Haiti, visit the Ministry of Public Health and Population website.