Gheskio Tuberculosis Hospital / MASS Design Group

Haiti has the highest incidence of tuberculosis in the Western Hemisphere. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that requires treatment of up to twenty-four months. In the first two to six months of treatment, patients need to be hospitalized in isolation to prevent the spread of the disease. This extended seclusion, paired with severe side effects from treatment medication, can have significant impacts on patients’ mental health. After the 2010 earthquake, the risk of tuberculosis transmission increased because large numbers of people were forced into living in crowded temporary housing camps. By some estimates, tuberculosis became three times more likely as compared to pre-2010 levels. And because much of the country’s healthcare infrastructure was badly damaged, many patients either lost access to treatment, or were cared for in tents.