Health care system at near collapse in gang violence hit-Haiti: UN

TORONTO, Canada

The UN emphasized Thursday the “alarming situation” in Haiti which has been hit by gang violence, and warned that the health care system is nearing collapse.

Special Representative for Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, briefed the Security Council and "underscored the need for urgent action particularly in supporting the immediate deployment of the multinational security support mission to address the insecurity facing Haitian people and to prevent the country from plunging even further into chaos as gang violence in Haiti has reached unprecedented levels," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters.

"The health care system is near collapse" in Haiti, he said, and added that "many health facilities have closed or drastically reduced their operations due to a worrying shortage of medicine and the ability of staff to actually get to the hospitals where they are most needed."

"There's also a reported shortage of medical equipment with blood beds and staff to treat patients with gunshot wounds," he said.

"Despite the limited access, because of the obvious insecurity, we are, with our partners, are using every window of opportunity to deliver aid since the third of March," Dujarric said about the humanitarian situation.

He said more than 7,600 hot meals were delivered by the World Food Programme (WFP) and partners to men, women and children who are living in displacement sites.

Noting that insecurity in Haiti has forced the WFP team to suspend maritime transport service, "which is currently the only means of transporting food and medical supplies for humanitarian development organization from Port au Prince to the other parts of the countries and there,” Dujarricsaid "the $674 million humanitarian response plan for Haiti is only 2.5% funded. That's only $17 million received.”

Haiti has been grappling with a wave of gang violence in recent years, worsened by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021.

Violent gangs control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince, and terrorize the population through killings, kidnappings and raping -- there seems to be no end in sight.

Haiti’s national police has about 9,000 officers to provide security for more than 11 million people, according to the UN.