Partners in Health Celebrates New Hospital in Haiti & 25 Years Serving the Poor
Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (National Teaching Hospital of Mirebalais, Haiti) at its inauguration November 6, 2012.
At a spectacular gala event in Boston on November 15, global health organization Partners in Health celebrated 25 years serving the world’s poor. Co-founders Paul Farmer and Ophelia Dahl, joined by Tom McCormack, paid tribute in film to another co-founder, Boston construction magnate Tom White, whose humble philanthropy fueled the organization’s expansion from a squatter settlement in Haiti to ten countries. World Bank President, Jim Kim, the fifth co-founder, helped put PIH on the world stage once again with his visit in November for the inauguration of the National Teaching Hospital in Mirebalais, Haiti, constructed via a collaboration between PIH and the Government of Haiti.
For a Haiti Libre article on the inauguration of the hospital, with exterior and interior photos, see: http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7102-haiti-health-inauguration-of-the-university-hospital-of-mirebalais.html For an interview with Drs. David Walton and Maxi Raymonville of Partners in Health and its sister organization Zanmi Lasante about the genesis and plans for the hospital see: http://www.pih.org/news/entry/mirebalais-hospital-construction/
Jim and I were deeply moved to be honored at this event before a magnificent photo backdrop of the new hospital. Dr. Paul Farmer and Jim’s partner in the construction project, Dr. David Walton, presented Jim with the same photo in a frame embedded with mosaic glass used to adorn the waiting room walls in Mirebalais, Haiti. We were especially grateful that close colleages and family members celebrated with us that evening, and wish to particularly thank the many PIH staff who orchestrated this stunning occasion. After Jim shared his experience building the hospital I added my thanks, below.
“It is very humbling to be honored here tonight when countless people deserve greater recognition. While Jim and I have been supporting humanitarian workers and grassroots development projects for a number of years, until I saw this kind of work ‘up close and personal’ through Jim’s eyes, I never realized how truly tough it was. I stand in awe of members of the Partners in Health family – from the indefatigable founders to the legions of community health workers – who daily sacrifice to put the poor first. I wish to thank their family members – like ours — who have stood by them making their own sacrifices, including our daughters, Mari and Ali Ansara, who have patiently endured far too many absences these past three years.
“I also wish to thank Board members Al and Diane Kaneb, for my first fateful, and I would say providential, introduction to PIH, and for so humbly demonstrating what a tremendous difference a long-term donor partnership can make. Thank you all for being with us tonight to celebrate this extraordinary organization that is the hands and feet of God to the poor, and which has captured the hearts of us, the not so poor. Thank you.”