Timeline

This timeline is dedicated to the ambitious, courageous, and generous leaders who helped shape HEI/SBH from its earliest days.

Their legacies will live on in our work forever.

The numbers 1983-1993 in dark blue with a yellow line above it indicating the passage of time

HEI/SBH begins as an international partnership between a small parish in Quincy, MA, and a small community in southern Haiti—a partnership that will lead to the relentless pursuit of high-quality, accessible healthcare for all people living in resource-limited settings.

A group of HEI/SBH's founders posing in front of a white truck in Haiti.

1983-1984: Parishioners from St. Boniface in Quincy, MA, arrive in Haiti for the first time. They travel to the remote mountain village of Fond des Blancs and commit to supporting a one-room medical clinic.

An old photo of SBH clinicians and patients during a clinic

1985-1987: The clinic begins a community health program, making it easier for people in isolated hamlets to access basic care close to their homes. Volunteers from Massachusetts help with immunization campaigns.

A photo of the old Saint Boniface health center with two Haitian men digging a hole in front of the entrance.

1988-1992: The Fond des Blancs community unites to transform the medical clinic into a 20-bed hospital. The community completes construction in 1992 and dedicates St. Boniface Hospital (SBH) in August.

The Saint Boniface Haiti Foundation logo with a yellow line above it indicating the passage of time

1990-1992: St. Boniface Haiti Foundation is incorporated as a nonprofit and applies for 501(c)(3) status, which is granted in 1992.

The numbers 1993 through 2003 in dark blue on a pale blue background with a short yellow line and a long purple line above it, indicating the passage of time from one era to the next

Patient volume rapidly increases as our reputation for delivering quality, compassionate care spreads. In this decade, we expand our services and professionalize operations to keep up with patient demand.

An old photo of a male Haitian medical resident at SBH

1993-1994: SBH becomes an official training site for medical residents in Haiti, helping to train the next generation of Haitian health professionals.

An old photo of a SBH ambulance, with Haitian health professionals helping a patient out of the back of the vehicle.

1996: The hospital is seeing more than 1,000 outpatients and admitting 35 inpatients each month, while also continuing the community health program.

An old photo of SBH's early operating room, with a woman Haitian medical professional standing in front of anesthesia equipment

2000: SBH opens its first operating room and begins conducting routine procedures for hernias and other conditions. The hospital also launches a dental clinic to serve patients who previously had no access to a dentist. 

A Haitian nurse takes blood from the finger of a Haitian man for testing.

2002: SBH begins one of the first HIV/AIDS treatment and support programs in Haiti—a program that will help thousands of people living with the virus lead full, healthy lives. 

The numbers 2003 through 2013 in dark blue on a pale blue background with a short purple line and a long green line above it, indicating the passage of time from one era to the next

In this decade, we continue to extend our reach and expand our capacity to care for more patients. We step up to provide life-changing care for survivors of the devastating 2010 earthquake.

An old photo of a Haitian nurse using a stethoscope to check the heart beat of a young Haitian boy, who is sitting in his caregiver's lap. His caregiver is a Haitian woman.

2003-2008: Patient volume continues to grow. SBH expands its emergency room and pediatrics department. The number of Haitian staff working at the hospital grows as the hospital works to become more sustainable as well as Haitian-led.

An old photo of the original villa clinic, a low white building with an white ambulance parked in front.

2009: SBH opens a satellite clinic in Villa, an hour’s drive east of the hospital over unpaved roads. Villa Clinic provides quality care, including labor and delivery services, to residents of one of the most remote parts of southern Haiti.

An old photo of a spinal cord injury patient leaning over in his wheelchair to reach for a red ball on the floor during his physical therapy exercises.

2010: In response to the catastrophic earthquake, SBH creates the spinal cord injury rehabilitation program. This comprehensive program is the first of its kind in Haiti. It will go on to help hundreds of patients heal from spinal cord injuries and regain their independence.

The numbers 2013 through 2023 in dark blue on a pale blue background with a short green line and a long pink line above it, indicating the passage of time from one era to the next

This decade is marked by transformation and tragedy. We open new facilities and see more patients than ever before. At the same time, Haiti faces a series of natural disasters and public health crises. We increase our capacity to lead rapid responses and save lives across southern Haiti.

SBH's maternal health center at sunset

2015: SBH opens a new maternal and neonatal health center to further improve care for mothers and infants. The facility includes a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and dedicated space for emergency obstetric care.

A photo of a surgical suite with a Haitian surgeon standing in the middle of the room and smiling. He is surrounded by equipment.

2016: SBH opens a new, state-of-the-art, surgical center with a pre-op ward, three operating suites, and a post-op ward. All surgical staff are cross-trained to perform many different procedures and tasks, ensuring patients never have to wait for specialty providers.

A mobile clinic during Hurricane Matthew. A Haitian doctor sits at a table outside and tends to a patient while other patients crowd around in the background.

2016: SBH leads the response to Hurricane Matthew, launching a mobile clinic program to deliver care directly to the most affected communities. Mobile clinics will go on to become a critical component of the organization’s future disaster response efforts.

Two Haitian doctors walk alongside SBH's Center for Infectious Disease and Emergency Care

2018: SBH completes construction on the Center for Infectious Disease and Emergency Care, which includes the region’s only 24/7 emergency room and one of the country’s only safe treatment facilities for infectious diseases. The doors of the new ER open in March.

Two Haitian male patients in wheelchairs show off a dark blue HEI T-shirt

2019: The organization changes its name to Health Equity International/St. Boniface Hospital (HEI/SBH) to better reflect its mission, vision, and values. 

A Haitian woman clinician wears personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. She wears a blue medical gown, a white face mask, a clear face shield, and a protective net over her hair.

2020: HEI/SBH leads the COVID-19 pandemic response for southern Haiti, providing education, testing, and treatment. In 2021-2022, SBH’s community health team will go on to execute one of Haiti’s most successful COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

An earthquake patient is taken out of a military helicopter on a stretcher. Two military pilots in full gear carry the front and back of the stretcher across a field.

2021: Immediately following the powerful August earthquake, HEI/SBH launches a comprehensive emergency response. Staff provide urgent care to survivors, dispatch mobile clinic teams, support damaged clinics across the region, and begin a permanent orthopedic surgery program.

A group of woman Haitian clinicians tend to a patient in SBH's emergency care center.

2022-2023: Despite supply chain challenges and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, the doors of SBH never close. Thanks to dedicated local staff, the hospital remains fully operational for every patient in need.

The words "proving what's possible for years to come" with a pink line ending with an arrow pointing to the right above it indicating heading into the future

There is so much ahead in the decades to come. We hope you’ll join us as we continue to prove that anything is possible in Haiti!