1. Home
  2. News & stories
  3. Sandra Lamarque explains MSF operation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Sandra Lamarque explains MSF operation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

12 Mar 24

Sandra Lamarque explains MSF operation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

12 March 2023

The mobile clinic team receives a briefing from MSF project coordinator Diana Manilla Arroyo and MSF medical referent Roger Ngueremi in front of the MSF office located in Delmas 48 before leaving to Bel Air, a neighborhood located in the center of Port-au-Prince. The team brainstorms about the priorities of the day, security updates and potential challenges. Caption
The mobile clinic team receives a briefing from MSF project coordinator Diana Manilla Arroyo and MSF medical referent Roger Ngueremi in front of the MSF office located in Delmas 48 before leaving to Bel Air, a neighborhood located in the center of Port-au-Prince. The team brainstorms about the priorities of the day, security updates and potential challenges.
© Alexandre Marcou/MSF

Since 7 February, tension was high in Haiti as Prime Minister Ariel Henry refused to step down, as he had committed to do. On 28 February, tension rose even further after the announcement that the elections have been postponed again to be held “no later than August 2025”. This has led to an extremely violent confrontation between the powerful gangs that control most of the Haitian capital and the authorities, with civilian vigilante groups involved as well. 

Violence is ranging virtually unchecked in Port-au-Prince and producing a great number of injuries. In the night between 2 and 3 March a massive jailbreak resulted in almost 4,000 inmates breaking free, adding to the chaos. Ariel Henry announced he will be stepping down on March 11 but it remains to be seen if that announcement will have an effect on the wave of violence.

 

In response to the surge in medical needs, MSF teams have stepped up their response for trauma and life-saving care for people injured during the violence.

MSF/Epicentre survey shows extreme levels of violence in Cité Soleil, Haiti. Caption
MSF/Epicentre survey shows extreme levels of violence in Cité Soleil, Haiti.
© MSF

Our burn and trauma hospital in Tabarre has been working at full capacity since early February but was forced to add 50% more beds to manage the patient inflow. Another MSF trauma hospital has opened on 4 March in Carrefour, south-west of the city centre. MSF’s emergency centre in Turgeau, re-opened two weeks earlier than planned to respond to the increased medical needs.  We are striving to up our efforts even though we are at risk of running of out supplies, as the country’s main port is currently locked in a dispute between armed groups and the authorities, resulting in an MSF medical cargo being blocked there.