Heart to Heart International has been improving health access in communities throughout Haiti since we first responded to the devastating earthquake in 2010. The Heart to Heart International-Haiti team has many projects currently underway, including ones in microfinance and sanitation. To help with these challenging and varied projects, we needed someone on board to help steer the Haiti operations. Help us in welcoming our new HHI-Haiti Medical Director: Dr. Jovanny Biename
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am Jovanny Laila Bien-Aimé, a 29-year-old Haitian, a confident woman and a qualified and licensed doctor. I have a specialization in Health Services Management. Multi potential and passionate, I have several interests that may appear divergent but whose heart is in health education and the well-being of the Haitian people.
I have skills in graphic design and was in charge of the visual communication of a company specializing in health education. Having a great love for teaching and research, I worked as a professor of physiology and as a junior researcher at my alma mater, the University of Notre Dame d’Haiti. I also volunteered a lot: mentoring students or holding a health radio broadcasting for farmers’ organizations.
Can you describe your background before coming to HHI?
I attended the School of Medicine of University Notre Dame d’Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. During my studies, I have always been interested in the management of health services and health education for patients – two areas that are lacking in the Haitian health system. That’s why, even against the wishes of my family, I decided to follow a career in health management.
Before coming to HHI, I worked as a physician and medical director’s assistant in an organization working in a health cooperative for two years. Now I am the first woman medical director at Heart to Heart International – Haiti.
How do you think that background will help you with HHI?
As a healthcare manager, I am responsible for managing the daily activities and long-term goals for the healthcare department of HHI-Haiti; managing all the resources we have and coordinating the work between those different activities.
It will help me to coordinate the actions of the medical staff (doctors, nurses and other). Above all, being able to ensure that patients are receiving the best quality care possible in a timely manner and with the best medications and environment.
What are you most excited about in the new position?
Being part of HHI is really exciting, especially because the areas of intervention are transversal; health is at the heart of everything and is taken into account. The challenges of coming out of survival to durability is what excites me the most. My new position as a leader makes me so happy to bring my touches to this beautiful work that is done. I consider it one of my duties to make this happen.
How do you see HHI-Haiti being able to help people in the future?
HHI’s work takes into account the determinants of health: Hygiene, Education, Economy, Healthy Environment. With such a large-scale work, involving the Haitian people in the decision-making concerning them, this approach has a great future in Haiti because it responds to the real needs that we have as a people. By empowering Haitian people, we help them for their entire life.
