Access to Health Care for All in Haiti: Challenges and Perspectives for Funding

Speakers and Facilitators

Speakers

Michel Joseph Martelly

Michel Joseph Martelly, Haitian musician and politician, became president of Haiti in 2011, in elections that followed a catastrophic earthquake in 2010. As president, Martelly sought to hasten the pace of reconstruction in Haiti, where hundreds of thousands of the displaced subsisted in squalid tent settlements, and to lure more foreign investment to the country. He also pledged to improve public education and established a fund to help guarantee access to primary schooling for all Haitian children.

Evans Paul

Evans Paul is a Haitian politician and former president of the Democratic United Committee (Komite inite Demokratik, KID). He was elected mayor of Port-au-Prince in the 1990 elections that brought Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s National Front for Change and Democracy party to power. He was leader of the Convergence Démocratique prior to the 2004 Haitian coup d’état which overthrew Aristide. On December 25 2014, President Michel Martelly announced his nomination of Evans Paul as Haiti’s new prime minister.

Sophia Martelly

At a very young age, Sophia Martelly, was already interested in helping the destitute voluntarily. She lent her services to the Gonaives Providence Hospital. For over seventeen years, she has kept her promises to the poor and the neglected. During Christmas time, she spends her time serving hot meals to more than two hundred poor people, toys to more than five hundred children from poor families and toiletries to women linving in precarious condition. In 2004, she initiated and organized, with the support of her husband, the AmCham and PADF, a telethon that raised more than 11 million gourdes for flood victims from May 2004 to Mapou and Fonds Verrettes. In November 2008, she was honored by President René Préval with the highest award “Ordre National Honneur et Mérite au grade de Chevalie” for her involvement and her unconditional support to the victims of the collapse of the school of Nerette in Petion Ville. She fulfills the rold of coordinator and co-founder for the Rose & White Foundation (FREB); her altruism, spirit of openness and availability have allowed her to prove once again her commitment. Gifted with a keen sense of organization, combining the roles of mother, educator, wife and manager of the Pink and White Foundation, she strives to be the best she can be.

Mary A. Barton-Dock

Mary A. Barton-Dock, who started her career 25 years ago in Bolivia, became the second World Bank Special Envoy to Haiti in 2013. Prior to taking up this appointment, Ms. Barton-Dock was the Director of the World Bank’s Environment and Climate Change Department. She served previously as the Country Director for Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe, where she gained broad experience in reconstruction and inclusive growth. Ms. Barton-Dock’s other managerial posts include being the Country Manager in Chad and the Sector Manager in Agriculture and Environment for 14 countries in West Africa. Mary Barton-Dock joined the World Bank in 1993. During her career she has worked in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. She is the first woman to lead the World Bank program in Haiti. Ms. Barton-Dock is a Harvard graduate, with a Masters in Public Policy, and has worked across a broad range of sectors including environment, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, mining, community development and education.

John Groarke

As Mission Director, Groarke oversees USAID’s programs in infrastructure and energy, food and economic security, health and other basic services, and rule of law and governance. Prior to being sworn in as the Mission Director to Haiti, John Groarke had served as USAID’s mission director in Morocco since 2009, overseeing a program that promotes the participation of youth in the country’s political reform process, supports reform of middle school education, and helps reduce barriers to trade and investment. In 2010, Groarke also served in Afghanistan, leading USAID’s efforts to implement President Barack Obama’s new counter-insurgency strategy. He previously served as deputy mission director in Egypt (2006-2009), managing the economic assistance program and leading the mission’s transition to a regional service center. A member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister Counselor, Groarke received USAID’s Distinguished Honor Award in 2009, the Agency’s highest performance award, for his service in Egypt and Iraq. Prior to joining USAID in 1995, Groarke practiced corporate law in New York and Washington, D.C., and taught international law in London. He holds a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor’s Degree from New York University.

Dr. Florence Guillaume Duperval

Dr. Duperval, Minister of Health, has had a long career in public health with more than 27 years of experience of which the past 23 years have been recognized.  At Management Sciences for Health (MSH) in Haiti, she spent 16 years managing projects whose scope impacted 45% of the population.  Academically, Dr. Duperval specializes in general pediatrics at the Medical Faculty of the State University of Haiti and continued her studies in the United States at Harvard University and also in Africa, in Dakar, Senegal and Uganda.  Dr. Duperval’s area of expertise is vast.  Besides her technical project management experience on child survival and reproductive health to name a few, she has extensive experience in planning, strategic leadership and development.

Victor Benoît

Mr. Victor Benoît is the Haitian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor. A teacher by training, Mr. Benoit has always been very active in Haiti’s political scene. In February 1987, he became a founding member and first party secretary of the National Congress of Democratic Movements (CONACOM) and candidate for the office of Senator for the Artibonite department in the same year under the banner of the National Dialogue Front (FNC). Mr. Benoit was appointed Minister of Education, Youth and Sports from September 1993 to May 1994. In October 1998, he was appointed member of the Executive Committee for the Conference of the Parties of Latin America (ECLA).  Since 2005, he is the president of the Socio-Democrats fusion party after an alliance of three political parties (CONACOM, PRANPRA, AyitiKapab).

Wilson Laleau

Mr. Wilson Laleau is the Haitian  Minister of Economics and Finance. An Economist specialized in development economics and economic policy, Mr. Laleau built his career teaching Planning Technical Center and Applied Economics (CTPEA), where he was educated at the University Quisqueya ( UNIQ) and the State University of Haiti (UEH) respectively.  He was twice elected as Vice-President, Academic Affairs in 2003 and 2007 in the State University of Haiti (UEH).  Alongside his teaching career, he worked for several international institutions established in Haiti as a consultant.  Interested in the modernization of public administration, he worked on the development of a general policy for the restructuration of the Haitian government for four years to the National Commission for Administrative Reform (CNRA).

Kesner François Pharel

An economist by training, Mr. Pharel holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University and a Masters in Sport Administration from the University of Lyon, France.  He taught at Quisqueya University of Haiti and the INAGHEI.  He worked as an economic consultant and finance for many international organizations in Haiti, such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank and USAID.  He is the CEO of Group Croissance, a consulting firm in economics, finance and management.  He is the star host of Investing emissions and economic Rendezvous at Radio and TV Metropolis of Haiti.

Dr. Francisco Becerra

As PAHO/WHO Assistant Director he oversees the organization’s core programs for technical cooperation with its 35 Member States. Dr. Becerra oversees the departments of Family, Gender and Life Course, Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, and Health Systems and Services, as well as the special program on Sustainable Development and Health Equity. Dr. Francisco Becerra was born in Mexico City and began his career after graduating from the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He completed his master’s degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, in the United States of America, and earned a doctorate in public health from Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health. Dr. Becerra has served as Director General of Health Services of the State of Morelos, Mexico; Director for Academic Agreement and Dissemination of the National Coordination Office of Mexico’s National Institutes of Health; Assistant Director of the Center for Health Systems Research of the Ministry of Health of Mexico; and Director General of Federal Hospitals in Mexico.

Dr. Georges Dubuche

Mr. Dubuche is the current Director General of the Ministry of Public Health and Population.  He worked in the Commission for Drafting the President Martelly health program.  His career took him to perform different functions not only in the country but also internationally.  Mr Dubuche worked in Management Sciences for Health Haiti as Deputy Chief and Technical Director in fight against cholera programs.  He was appointed Adviser on Health Systems HIV / AIDS in Haiti in 2004.

Dr. Gary Gottlieb

Gary L. Gottlieb, M.D., M.B.A., serves as President and CEO of Partners HealthCare, assuming the position on January 4, 2010. Dr. Gottlieb comes to this role with a deep and rich history with Partners. He served as President of Brigham and Women’s/ Faulkner Hospitals since March of 2002. He is also a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Gottlieb was recruited by Partners to become the first chairman of Partners Psychiatry in 1998 and he served in that capacity through 2005. In 2000, he added the role of President of the North Shore Medical Center where he served until early 2002. Dr. Gottlieb received his BS cum laude from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his M.D. from the Albany Medical College of Union University in a six-year accelerated biomedical program. He completed his internship and residency and served as Chief Resident at New York University/Bellevue Medical Center.

Lucien Albert

Mr. Lucien Albert holds a master’s degree in organizational management.  He is the Director of the International Health Unit (ICU) at the University of Montreal, whose goal is to train health workers in developing countries to help improve the living conditions of the population.  His expertise spans the areas of health administration, project coordination development, evaluation, human resource management, hospital management, organization of health care, health policy and planning, post-crisis health system rehabilitation, and  health care (primary, secondary, tertiary). Over his career, Mr. Albert has worked throughout Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

El Houcine Akhnif

Mr. El Houcine Akhnif serves as a Coordination Officer at the Secretariat of the Ministry of Health of Morocco.  He holds an undergraduate degree in physics and a graduate degree in statistical physics and is completing a thesis in statistical physics. In addition to physics, his expertise also includes health finance and costing, as well as hospital management. Outside of Morocco, Mr. Akhnif has worked in Algeria and Canada.

Dr. Max Rudolphe Saint-Albin

After a solid base of medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the State University of Haiti and completing his social service, Dr Max Rudolph St. Albin successfully completed his internship at the department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery at the State University of Haiti Hospital. Shortly thereafter, he left for France, to perfect his medical specialty as resident at the Chambery Hospital Center in orthopedic and trauma surgery under the direction of Professor Emmanuel Beaudouin, specialist in trauma and upper-limbs surgery, from 2005 to 2006, and then under the direction of Professor Eric Montbarbon, specialist in trauma and lower limbs and traumatic spinal surgery from 2006 to 2007; then as resident, referring ortho-trauma physician, and medical practitioner in the Emergency Department at the same center from 2007 to 2008. Back home in 2008, Dr. St Albin had the opportunity to utilize his knowledge and experience accumulated in France to serve his country. First as a clinician, surgeon and university professor. Then, Dr. St Albin joined the National Insurance Office (Work Accidents, Illness, and Maternity), OFATMA, in 2008. During the period of 2010 to 2012, he worked at Zanmi Lasanté as a surgical coordinator. In July 2012, Dr. Max Rudolph St Albin was named Deputy General Manager of OFATMA, institution he has led since February 2013 as CEO. Dr. St Albin conducted several scientific works in his field of specialization.

Emmanuel Ménard

Journalist, lawyer, communicator, teacher and lecturer Mr. Ménard has since 2014 Director of the National Office Old Age Insurance (ONA).  Previously, he was twice Director of Radio Television Nationale d’Haiti (RTNH), Director of the National Library, Mupannah Director and member of the National Commission of the assets, Policy Advisor and Project Manager at the Ministry of Culture and President of the Transitional College of the Permanent Electoral Council in 2013. He is also the author of several books.

Olivier Barrau

Mr. Barrau is the CEO of the Alternative Insurance Company SA (AIC).  A graduate of New York College of Insurance, Mr. Barrau has spent eighteen years working in the insurance sector in Haiti, including deep involvement in brokerage, underwriting, marketing and claims, as wells as life, non-life, health and other products specific to Haiti. Mr. Barrau has strong ties to the financial sector in Haiti and to other key players in the Haitian market. He is active in the popularization and democratization of access to private insurance in the country.

 Dr. Ronald Laroche

Serve society to improve the lives of people through public health programs, such is the path Dr. Ronald Laroche wanted to follow when he got his Medical degree from the Medical Faculty State of Haiti University.  Subsequently, he obtained a Masters in Public Health from Yale University in the United States, did a post-graduate of Harvard in Financial Management for health care systems and taught for almost thirty years at the faculty of medicine Haiti.  President of the Association of Private Hospitals of Haiti, Dr. Laroche has revolutionized the health care system in Haiti through the creation of a social enterprise, DASH (Development of Health Activities in Haiti), which develops social protection plans in order to facilitate access to health care for employees of public and private sectors at an affordable price.  To date, DASH serves 40,000 policyholders.

Hailu Zelelew

Hailu Nega Zelelew is an economist with 20 years of experience across a range of development activities. He previously served as a civil servant in the Ethiopian government, and as a grassroots development practitioner. His expertise includes designing and implementing health care financing and health sector reform projects, capacity building and technical support to government counterparts, health financing resource tracking, evaluation of HIV/AIDS and health projects, costing, policy advocacy, revolving drug funds, and reproductive and overall health pharmaceutical financing. Mr. Zelelew has country experience in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Nigeria. He holds a Masters in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia in the UK, and a degree in Economics from Addis Ababa University.

Dr. Chris Atim

Dr. Chris Atim is a Senior Program Director at Results for Development Institute (R4D) where he serves as the health systems and equity advisor on USAID’s global flagship Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) and as the Executive Director of the African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA). Dr. Atim specializes in health systems with a particular focus on health care financing. Prior to joining R4D, Dr. Atim served many years as a senior health economist in West Africa for the World Bank and also taught a masters course in health economics at the West African regional Institute of Higher Management Studies (CESAG) in Senegal. Between 2004 and 2009, Dr. Atim worked for a number of international organizations in the areas of cost-effectiveness and evidence-based decision making in introducing new technologies in GAVI-eligible countries; costing of HIV/TB/Malaria programs; analyses of the international aid architecture, aid effectiveness, global health initiatives as well as fiscal space issues for low income countries. Dr. Atim received his PhD from the University of Sussex in the UK in 1993, followed by a number of post-doctoral courses in health economics and financing in Belgium and the UK.

Dr. Marty Makinen

Marty Makinen is the Results for Development Institute’s Program Director for the Health Workforce and Ministerial Leadership Initiative. He is a health economist with more than 30 years of experience working with health financing and economics issues in developing countries. He spent 23 years at Abt Associates Inc. where he directed the USAID-funded global Health Systems 20/20, Partners for Health Reform plus, and Health Financing and Sustainability projects and has held academic positions at the Universities of Delaware and Michigan. Dr. Makinen has worked with more than 40 developing countries on practical solutions to health issues in all regions of the world, with specific emphasis on Francophone Africa and South Asia. He serves on the Monitoring Independent Review Committee for the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization. Dr. Makinen has numerous publications and speaks frequently at professional meetings. He holds a PhD (1979) and Master’s (1975) in Economics from the University of Michigan and a B.A. (1973) in Economics from Kalamazoo College.

Dr. James Fitzgerald

James Fitzgerald, a national of Ireland, obtained his Bachelor in Science, Pharmacy and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Dublin, Ireland. Commencing his career in the pharmaceutical industry, he later joined the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) where he has worked as advisor in policy issues relating to access and regulation of  medicines and health technologies in Haiti, Brazil and PAHO headquarters, Washington DC USA. He assumed coordination of the PAHO regional work program in the Americas in Medicines and Health Technologies (2008 – 2013). In 2014, he was appointed Director of Health Systems and Services, PAHO/WHO, overseeing the development of the regional Universal Health Coverage agenda with specific focus on health policy and governance, health systems and services organization, human resources for health, financing in health, and access to medicines and health technologies. He is the author and coauthor of numerous articles, and is a member of a number of professional societies and advisory groups associated with his profession and area of work.

Dr. Elaine Baruwa

Elaine M. Baruwa, PhD, MSc, has over 12 years of experience conducting program and economic evaluations, and working on pricing and costing policies/tools for the financing of health services and health systems in Nigeria, Haiti, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Swaziland and other low-income countries. Dr. Baruwa is a senior technical advisor on insurance modeling and health financing research. At Abt, she has led economic evaluations in over 20 countries, as well as monitoring and evaluation work for the World Bank and the International AIDS Vaccine Institute. Dr. Baruwa holds a PhD in International Health from Johns Hopkins University, a MSc in Health Management from Imperial College University, and a BSc in Financial Economics from the University of London, and has been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Enis Baris

Dr. Baris is a medical doctor with a PhD in epidemiology and a master’s in public health. Dr. Baris has to his credit a wide range of experience in the health care environment that led him everywhere around the world, Europe, East Asia, Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. During his career, he has been the chair of a number of health research councils and wrote several books on different themes: indoor air pollution and malaria in the way of control of the environmental management to name a few. He is currently Head of the sector for health, nutrition and population in the Middle East and North Africa at World Bank after having held the position of Director of Country Health Systems Division.

Facilitators

Dr. Didié Hérold Louis

Dr. Louis graduated from the Faculty of the State University of Haiti Medicine. In 2002, he was hired as a junior consultant by Intell Consult, a health and development consulting firm with which he worked all throughout Haiti on various topics dealing with access to health care, HIV / AIDS and maternal and child health. Starting in 2009, Dr. Louis will serve for nearly two years as Deputy Regional Director of the organization Feed The Children in Haiti. Currently, Dr. Louis serves as Country Representative for Hunger Relief International. He leads the organization’s efforts in improving the lives of orphans and vulnerable children through a network of partnerships between thirty orphanages and foster homes in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. Meanwhile, Dr. Louis remains very involved in humanitarian work in Haiti as an independent consultant.

Dr. Colette Vilgrain

Dr. Colette Vilgrain is a Doctor of Medicine from the University of State of Haiti, specializing in Health and Development (Université Henri Poincaré Nancy 1 France / University of Montreal, International Centre for Children). She is currently an independent consultant for many local and international development agencies; member of social and philanthropic organizations, and member of the Board of Directors GroupIntellConsult SA. Her work in planning, management and evaluation of projects involves integrated and participatory methods, and aims to promote strategic alliances necessary for decision making in resource mobilization and local governance.

Dr. Mario Laroche

Dr. Mario Laroche has evolved over the last 25 years in the Haitian health system, as a public health doctor, part of the Ministry of Health, consultant and teacher. His main focus areas are capacity building, organization of services and the development of health systems. Over the last fifteen years, he has worked extensively on the topic of local health systems and approaches for strengthening health organizations, proximity and coaching consultancy. His experience extends to various specific health programs, including maternal and child health and the fight against HIV-AIDS, and cross-cutting issues such as drugs, partnership and community participation.

Dr. Eleonora Cavagnero

Dr. Eleonora Cavagnero, economist, joined the World Bank in 2010. Since joining the Bank, she worked in South Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean.  She has worked in Haiti for more than three years.  Before joining the Bank, she worked for six years at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, in the department of health systems financing.  Her publications include articles in major international journals on topics such as financing and strengthening health systems, Millennium development, and socio-economic impact of health spending.  Eleonora is of Argentine nationality.  She holds a PhD from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.