Although the high health risks for workers in the garment sector, our assessments show that most factories were non-compliant in the requirement to have on-site medical facilities. By the end of 2019, 66% of our factories did not meet this requirement. Before the launch of our programme, none of the factories had doctors on site. Workers
were taken to the nearest hospital or clinic for medical assistance.
Now, factories are investing to comply. To raise awareness on this, we have launched initiatives that:
♦ Urged partner organisations to designate 100% of their profits for social programmes to Haitian workers, to engage in discussions
with their sourcing factories to address health issues;
♦ Organised free medical consultations for more than 2,000 workers — 77% of whom are women — in ophthalmology, prenatal and maternal health, dermatology, gynaecology, HIV testing, and internal medicine;
♦ Launched a pilot project with Share Hope to train nurses on different types of actions and activities they can offer inside the factory.
♦ Workers received nearly a hundred pairs of glasses free-of-charge from the Ophthalmology Department of the State University Hospital in Haiti, as well as medicine for eye care;
♦ Of the 70 workers who received free and voluntary HIV testing, the four positive cases were supported by the Ministry of Public Health and Population;
♦ Around 25,000 condoms were distributed;
♦ Workers have reported adequate medical services on-site and being able to schedule appointments. Doctors have been providing them with references for additional medical follow up.