FHADIMAC is a non-profit, private Haitian foundation with a membership base of 12,000 registered members. Its mission is to provide:
- basic, vital medical care to thousands of patients who cannot afford the cost of long-term treatment for diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease
- daily screening, educational training and counseling sessions for the early prevention and management of these diseases
- periodic community health and awareness activities for the general public
- access to discounted prescription medicine
- training of Haitian medical personnel
- ongoing research and advocacy initiatives on behalf of patients in Haiti
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes ranks as #5 and hypertension as #1 in the top ten causes of death in Haiti. Health centers and healthcare professionals throughout the country do not have the proper knowledge, training nor the medical resources and supplies necessary to appropriately care for and manage these chronic diseases. Patients with severe complications but without the financial capacity to travel outside of Haiti to receive proper medical treatment have no other choice but to gamble their fate.
The Haitian Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Foundation (FHADIMAC) grew from a community clinic driven by volunteer Haitian physicians who were motivated by their desire to change the fate of diabetics severely limited in their access to information or medication required to manage their disease. The Foundation currently has more than 12,000 registered members, a staff of over 20 employees, and is financed primarily through membership support, the sale of prescription medicine and educational materials and the sponsored fees for their services.
Without the presence of FHADIMAC in their lives, death would be the inevitable fate for thousands of Haitians.