[1] He went to Haiti in 1952 on a research trip as part of his medical studies, and during that visit decided to locate the clinic in the Artibonite Valley;[1] he was granted land that was formerly a banana plantation by then president of Haiti, Paul Magloire.

[2] He and his wife Gwen Grant Mellon opened a hospital they named Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti in 1956.

[1][2] When it opened, the facility had two operating rooms, a laboratory, X-ray facilities, a pharmacy, and had its own water system, electric power, machine and vehicle shops, laundry and food services.

[3] By 1970, the facility had grown from 80 to 120 beds and provided annually about 60,000 outpatient visits, 3500 admissions and 2500 operations.

[4][5] By 2010, the facility in Haiti had expanded to include 12 health clinics that were staffed by Haitian volunteers; they offered and preventive and community education and focused on women's health and HIV treatment and prevention.