The healthcare system in Haiti is on the verge of collapse due to a violent uprising by gangs. The resignation of the prime minister has left victims of the violence with little access to medical care, as reported by aid workers in the troubled nation of Haiti.
Over the last fourteen days, medical facilities have been intentionally burned, healthcare professionals have been killed, and essential medical resources are now depleted. The sole remaining public hospital in Haiti’s capital will likely also close down in the near future.
According to Mackynzie Archer, an advisor to major medical NGOs in Haiti, the healthcare system in Port-au-Prince is nearly non-existent and conditions are rapidly declining.
The capital of Haiti has been brought to a standstill due to intense combat between armed gangs and security forces, making it the most severe outburst of violence the country has experienced in many years.
Armed bandits attacked police stations, government buildings and the international airport, achieving their stated goal on Monday when the prime minister, Ariel Henry, announced he would step down once a transitional council had been appointed.
However, while political groups compete for power, the aggression persists. Roughly 50% of Haitians are facing food shortages, limited access to water and electricity, and are at risk of being hit by stray bullets every day.
The United Nations reports that approximately 15,000 individuals have been compelled to leave their residences due to ongoing firearm conflicts. This has resulted in the total number of internally displaced persons reaching over 360,000.
According to Laurent Uwumuremyi, the director for Haiti at Mercy Corps, the people of Port-au-Prince are now forced to live as nomads, constantly searching for a place to stay with family, acquaintances, or in temporary housing. Fear is prevalent throughout the city.
The outbreak of urban violence has led to a sharp increase in hospitalizations for injuries, while many hospitals are shutting down due to lack of personnel, resources, and essential medical supplies.
Multiple institutions, such as St Francis de Sales and Jude-Anne Hospital, have been deliberately ignited and destroyed, resulting in significant damage to these vital centers for treating trauma and emergency cases in the city.
Dr. Ronald V LaRoche, speaking to the New York Times, expressed shock at the removal of essential items such as operating rooms, X-rays, lab equipment, and medication from the hospital. He described the situation as unbelievable, noting that even windows and doors were being taken.
Prior to the current turmoil, armed individuals dominated the primary routes and entry points to the city’s port, severely limiting the availability of anesthetic, blood, and oxygen.
Archer said that patients often had to wait in hospital beds for up to a month for routine surgeries due to a lack of medical supplies needed for the operation.
Medical personnel are choosing to remain at home in order to avoid being caught in the midst of violent clashes on the streets, or being targeted by teenage individuals wielding assault rifles. These actions are in response to providing medical care to either law enforcement or members of opposing gangs.
On Tuesday, Dr. Nathalie Barthélémy Laurent tragically died in a fatal shooting near her residence in Port-au-Prince, making her the most recent victim in the healthcare community.
At Port-au-Prince’s State University of Haiti hospital, BBC journalists discovered a clinic with numerous patients but no medical personnel. The only presence was a lifeless body, surrounded by flies and decaying in the hot tropical climate.
According to one patient interviewed by the BBC, there are currently no doctors available as they all left the area last week.
The citizens of Haiti have encountered significant obstacles in the past years, such as a fatal cholera epidemic and a catastrophic earthquake in 2010 that claimed the lives of over 200,000 individuals.
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Recent chaos has overshadowed previous instances of desperation, according to Francesco Segoni, a representative of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) who likened the current state of affairs to a war zone.
A recent study by MSF in the gang-controlled area of Cite Soleil revealed that 40% of deaths were a result of violence. This statistic is similar to the number of deaths caused by violence in Raqqa during the time it was under control of the Islamic State and was facing bombing attacks from various nations.
According to Segoni, violence is rampant and uncontrolled in Port-au-Prince. He stated that there is nowhere that can be considered safe in the city at this time.
The crisis is resulting in avoidable fatalities in pregnant women and older individuals, as they are unable to access vital medical care and medication that would typically be considered essential in many other regions.
Flavia Maurello, the leader of the Italian charity AVSI in Haiti, stated that the discord between the gangs and the politicians is resulting in the people bearing the consequences.
The leaders of the Caribbean and the US have supported a proposal in which a temporary council will replace Henry’s position. However, several important groups have declined to take part, and Jimmy “Barbeque” Chérizier, a leader of a gang and seemingly responsible for the current turmoil, has rejected any resolution backed by the global community.
Various NGOs, including MSF, have successfully established mobile clinics in select regions. However, there is uncertainty regarding the duration of their secure functionality.
“We are concerned about the potential shortage of necessary medicines and medical supplies that are crucial in addressing the current overwhelming demands,” stated Mumuza Muhindo Musubaho, the head of MSF’s Haiti branch.
Archer reported that at Bernard Mevs, a facility with a capacity of 50 beds in northern Port-au-Prince, nurses are working fervently to save patients with minimal personnel and no access to electricity.
It is probable that within the next week, they will also shut down, dealing a final blow to the healthcare system in Port-au-Prince.
Source: theguardian.com
