Our programs

Surgery

A FOTCOH surgical team operating at the clinic

Safe Surgery When Treatment Is Out of Reach

A treatable condition. A surgery out of reach. A patient left waiting as pain and risk grow. FOTCOH’s Surgery program provides safe, essential surgical care for patients who may otherwise go without the procedures they need.

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Surgery

Barriers That Delay Life-Changing Care

For many patients in Haiti, surgery is difficult to access long before they reach an operating room. Public hospitals often require patients to provide their own medical supplies and pay in cash before care can be delivered, creating barriers many families cannot overcome.

As a result, treatable conditions such as hernias, hydroceles, tissue masses, lipomas, breast masses, and phimosis can go unaddressed until they become more painful, limiting, or severe.

A surgical team at work in the operating room

Duplessy, a young surgery patient at FOTCOH

Duplessy’s Story

“We used to do five surgeries a day. Now we do seven to ten, sometimes working from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. We can’t fit any more into a day. We have the strength to work. We just need more days.”

— Dr. Nelson, Medical Director

Four Months Old and Needing Surgery

When four-month-old Duplessy arrived at FOTCOH, his family had already faced the fear no parent should have to carry: searching for urgent care and being turned away.

Born with a serious medical condition that required surgery, Duplessy needed specialized treatment his family could not easily access or afford. With options limited, they came to FOTCOH for help.

FOTCOH’s surgical staff, supported by U.S. medical advisors, coordinated the care Duplessy needed and began his path toward treatment. For his family, reliable health care meant hope in a moment that felt impossible.

How FOTCOH Responds

Providing Safe Surgical Care Through Coordinated Clinics

FOTCOH identifies surgical candidates during Vital Health Clinics, where patients are evaluated and added to a structured surgical schedule based on medical need. The current waiting list includes more than 100 patients, reflecting the significant need for surgical care in the region.

Surgery is performed during dedicated surgical weeks held alongside Vital Health Clinics throughout the year. With trained surgical staff, anesthesia support, and equipped operating environments, FOTCOH is able to provide procedures such as hernia repair, hydrocele repair, tissue mass removal, lipoma removal, and phimosis repair.

The Results

Expanding Access to Essential Surgical Care

FOTCOH’s Surgery program helps patients access procedures that restore health, mobility, and quality of life.

400+

Patients Evaluated Annually

Assessing surgical needs and determining eligibility for upcoming surgical clinics.

100+

Surgeries Performed Annually

Providing safe, essential procedures for patients who may otherwise go untreated.

5–8

Surgeries Completed Per Day

Maximizing each surgical clinic day to meet urgent demand and reduce the waiting list.

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A patient resting after surgery at the FOTCOH clinic