GHESKIO Tuberculosis Hospital
The GHESKIO Tuberculosis Hospital in Port-au-Prince offers a dignified and restorative inpatient treatment space that minimizes the risk of airborne transmission.
Haiti has the highest incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the Western Hemisphere. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that requires treatment of up to 24 months. Patients must be hospitalized in isolation during the first two to six months of treatment to prevent spread. This extended seclusion, paired with severe side effects from treatment medication, can have significant impacts on patients’ mental health.
The design of the new tuberculosis hospital focused on minimizing the risk of transmission while creating a more comfortable and supportive space to receive care. The hospital’s central feature is its interior courtyard and adjoining community spaces, where patients spend much of their stay. Flower and tree beds bring color, shade, and seating to the space. Bamboo screens covered in bougainvillea vines create visual privacy for the outdoor consultation spaces adjacent to patient rooms, allowing for conversations between patients and medical staff in the open air where transmission risk is lower.
Passive ventilation and infection control strategies help reduce in-hospital TB transmission for this high-risk population while lessening energy costs for the facility. The building controls airborne infection through permeable soffits and metal louvers that pull fresh air throughout the units; and a large double roof provides a buffer from the equatorial sun. All corridors and consultation areas are outside to promote open-air circulation and reduce the risk of patient-to-staff contagion. Cleaning staff can access the restrooms using a separate door from the outside to avoid entering the patient’s room and risking infection. The hospital accommodates 32 patient isolation suites, exam and X-ray rooms, offices, nurse stations, and two pharmacies, setting a new standard for TB care in Haiti.
