March 13th 2024.
The Doctors Without Borders Emergency Center in Haiti has finally resumed its operations after being forced to shut down due to the ongoing gang violence in the country. This hospital, located in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, was closed for several months before reopening in March of this year.
The decision to close the facility was made after a harrowing incident involving the medical staff and one of the notorious gangs in the area. Dr. James Gana, a dedicated member of the humanitarian organization, shared the details of the event with NBC News. According to him, a group of armed gang members surrounded an ambulance that was on its way to the hospital and tragically killed the patient inside. This shocking incident took place in December of 2023, just a few meters away from the hospital itself.
The rise in violence and control of the capital city by these gangs has left Gana and his team with no choice but to reopen the hospital and continue providing medical care to those in need. However, the fear of retribution from the gangs has made many patients hesitant to seek treatment, resulting in a dire situation for the healthcare system in Haiti.
The chaos in the country was triggered by the assassination of the president in 2021, which left a power vacuum that was quickly filled by these criminal groups. This has led to the collapse of the political infrastructure in Haiti, and Gana believes that the healthcare system is next in line to suffer.
"The healthcare system has been deteriorating for years," said the 30-year-old doctor, who is originally from Nigeria. "But now, it's on the brink of collapse."
In an attempt to restore order and end the violence, Haiti has requested assistance from the United Nations. The U.N. Security Council has authorized a Multinational Security Support mission, but its operations have faced numerous challenges. As a result, commercial flights have been suspended, leaving foreign visitors with no choice but to seek help from their embassies to leave the country.
The Multinational Security Support mission, led by Kenya and supported by a $200 million budget from the U.S., is still determined to carry out its mission. However, the White House has made it clear that they will not send troops to Haiti as part of the stabilization effort. In the meantime, the Haitian prime minister remains stranded in Puerto Rico, with no government able to assist him in returning to his country due to the unsafe conditions.
The remaining hospitals in Haiti are facing severe shortages of supplies, including essential medicines and fuel for their generators. They are eagerly awaiting international aid to help them cope with the ongoing violence and instability in the country.
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