The NOVA Project Design

Locale: Cavaillon is located in the southwestern Haïti, Latitude 18.3000 (18°18’ ON), Longitude -73.6500° (73°ON). The immediate population within a seven-mile radius is 38,000 and this expands to over 100,000 when outlying mountain villages and clustered huts are included. This town was selected over several others after an extensive field trip that spanned the north and south of Haïti, based on the local needs and several desirable logistical factors.

Clinic Site:

Purchase has been completed on a 12-acre tract of dry flat farmland on which is currently situated a large two-story building. Well water is readily accessible and town generated electricity extends to within 200 feet of the property. The current structure has been professionally evaluated for renovation and use as the initial clinical facility. Architectural plans are in the final stage for a two-story facility that will offer clinical services, pharmacy and a separate protected waiting gazebo on the first floor, and quarters for permanent staff and a data base center on the second floor. An additional complex of structures has been located well behind the clinic to house 25-member teams of medical volunteers as well as provide a central kitchen and dining pavilion.

Eventual Central Facilities:

Emergency room
6 Examination rooms
Observation room
Treatment room
Surgical suite
Dental suite
Optometry suite
Limited overnight facility
Clinical laboratory facility
Radiographic and ultrasound facility
Outpatient pharmacy
Conference center
Chapel facility for worship

Medical Services:

Permanent Medical Services:

Medical care
Surgical care
Gynecological and Obstetrical Care
Dental care
Health education for the general population
Nutritional care and teaching
Management of Endemic Disease: resistant Tuberculosis, HIV, direct observation treatment
Continuing Medical Education for health care workers

Periodic Specialty Medical Services:
Specialty surgical and dental teams as well as general medical groups provided by varied interested religious and service-oriented organizations will be contracted on a pro bono basis to provide one-week medical missions similar to those organized originally by NOVA’s founding members and Church of the Presentation. These teams will provide needed procedures at the main facility in Cavaillon for patients previously identified as needing specialized care. Non-specialty teams will be organized to travel rurally into the mountains each day to run intensive clinics, thereby supplementing the capacity of the Health Care Agents. Food and lodging, transportation, supplies and equipment, medications, logistics and entertainment will be organized and provided by NOVA.

Expansion of Catchment Area:
Although rugged, isolated and rural, most of Haiti’s mountainous regions are inhabited. Based on statistics gathered systematically through patient questionnaires during prior medical missions, many large isolated collectives exist that have absolutely no access to any health care. These isolated regions will be serviced medically by NOVA through a system of Health Care Agents, selected jointly by community leaders and NOVA staff. Health Care Agents will receive formal nine-month training and after graduation be the first line of primary care in their assigned communities. Support, supplies, continuing medical education, and referral possibilities will all be provided by the central clinic in Cavaillon. The NOVA health care system will thus bring effective medical services to a large population that otherwise could not make the long trip to the central clinic in Cavaillon.

Outreach Services:

Public Health Programs:

Health Care Agents, education and maintenance, Rural Level
Immunization programs, Village Level
Traveling Public health nurses, Rural Level
Direct Observation Treatment, Village Level
Local health education, Village Level
Recruitment of local health leaders, Rural Level

Creation of Regional Satellite Facilities:

Storage of Medications and Supplies
Office Site for Health Care Agents
Site for One-Day Health Clinics and Fairs
Centers for local Education

Nutritional Rehabilitation Services

Safe Mother and Child Pre-Natal and Peri-Natal Services

NOVA Staffing

Permanent Staffing:

One (1) Medical Director
One (1) internist/general practitioner
Two (2) hospital interns
One (1) nun/registered nurse, COO and Director
Three (3) nuns/registered nurses
Three (3) itinerant part-time traveling nurses
Four (4) trained traveling health care agents
One (1) PhD graduate student candidate in anthropology/public health
One (1) social worker
One (1) information technologist
One (1) and periodically two (2) cooks
Three (3) maids
Three (3) armed guardians
Two (2) Handymen
Two (2) Drivers
One (1) auto mechanic

Temporary Staffing:

Transient visiting medical teams as outlined above
Medical residents, medical students
Nursing students
Peace Corps volunteers
Public health graduate students


About Us What We Do Who We Are Our History Why Haiti? Committee Organization Funding Our Activities A Typical Mission Week About Haiti NOVA Today Our Accomplishments Where We Plan to Go The NOVA Project Design Flowsheet Overview Our Building Plans News Press Releases Newsletters Editorial Gallery Home	NOVA Today The NOVA Project Design
	The NOVA Project Design Locale: Cavaillon is located in the southwestern Haïti, Latitude 18.3000 (18°18’ ON), Longitude -73.6500° (73°ON). The immediate population within a seven-mile radius is 38,000 and this expands to over 100,000 when outlying mountain villages and clustered huts are included. This town was selected over several others after an extensive field trip that spanned the north and south of Haïti, based on the local needs and several desirable logistical factors. Clinic Site: Purchase has been completed on a 12-acre tract of dry flat farmland on which is currently situated a large two-story building. Well water is readily accessible and town generated electricity extends to within 200 feet of the property. The current structure has been professionally evaluated for renovation and use as the initial clinical facility. Architectural plans are in the final stage for a two-story facility that will offer clinical services, pharmacy and a separate protected waiting gazebo on the first floor, and quarters for permanent staff and a data base center on the second floor. An additional complex of structures has been located well behind the clinic to house 25-member teams of medical volunteers as well as provide a central kitchen and dining pavilion. Eventual Central Facilities: Emergency room 6 Examination rooms Observation room Treatment room Surgical suite Dental suite Optometry suite Limited overnight facility Clinical laboratory facility Radiographic and ultrasound facility Outpatient pharmacy Conference center Chapel facility for worship Medical Services: Permanent Medical Services: Medical care Surgical care Gynecological and Obstetrical Care Dental care Health education for the general population Nutritional care and teaching Management of Endemic Disease: resistant Tuberculosis, HIV, direct observation treatment Continuing Medical Education for health care workers Periodic Specialty Medical Services: Specialty surgical and dental teams as well as general medical groups provided by varied interested religious and service-oriented organizations will be contracted on a pro bono basis to provide one-week medical missions similar to those organized originally by NOVA’s founding members and Church of the Presentation. These teams will provide needed procedures at the main facility in Cavaillon for patients previously identified as needing specialized care. Non-specialty teams will be organized to travel rurally into the mountains each day to run intensive clinics, thereby supplementing the capacity of the Health Care Agents. Food and lodging, transportation, supplies and equipment, medications, logistics and entertainment will be organized and provided by NOVA. Expansion of Catchment Area: Although rugged, isolated and rural, most of Haiti’s mountainous regions are inhabited. Based on statistics gathered systematically through patient questionnaires during prior medical missions, many large isolated collectives exist that have absolutely no access to any health care. These isolated regions will be serviced medically by NOVA through a system of Health Care Agents, selected jointly by community leaders and NOVA staff. Health Care Agents will receive formal nine-month training and after graduation be the first line of primary care in their assigned communities. Support, supplies, continuing medical education, and referral possibilities will all be provided by the central clinic in Cavaillon. The NOVA health care system will thus bring effective medical services to a large population that otherwise could not make the long trip to the central clinic in Cavaillon. Outreach Services: Public Health Programs: Health Care Agents, education and maintenance, Rural Level Immunization programs, Village Level Traveling Public health nurses, Rural Level Direct Observation Treatment, Village Level Local health education, Village Level Recruitment of local health leaders, Rural Level Creation of Regional Satellite Facilities: Storage of Medications and Supplies Office Site for Health Care Agents Site for One-Day Health Clinics and Fairs Centers for local Education Nutritional Rehabilitation Services Safe Mother and Child Pre-Natal and Peri-Natal Services NOVA Staffing Permanent Staffing: One (1) Medical Director One (1) internist/general practitioner Two (2) hospital interns One (1) nun/registered nurse, COO and Director Three (3) nuns/registered nurses Three (3) itinerant part-time traveling nurses Four (4) trained traveling health care agents One (1) PhD graduate student candidate in anthropology/public health One (1) social worker One (1) information technologist One (1) and periodically two (2) cooks Three (3) maids Three (3) armed guardians Two (2) Handymen Two (2) Drivers One (1) auto mechanic Temporary Staffing: Transient visiting medical teams as outlined above Medical residents, medical students Nursing students Peace Corps volunteers Public health graduate students