Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says it has been forced to suspend its medical activities at the Isaïe Jeanty Maternity Hospital following the escalation of violence since June 13.
MSF in a statement said that the violence has been escalating in Cité Soleil and that its members have been caught in the crossfire and face ‘an untenable situation. ‘Access to sexual and reproductive health care, already extremely limited in the area, is now almost non-existent. Thousands of people, particularly women, are unable to seek safe medical care.’
MSF said that for the past five days, violent clashes between several armed groups have been taking place in the neighbourhoods of Belekou, Fort Dimanche and Wharf Jérémie.
It said that the gunfire is continuing, with bullets hitting the walls of the Isaïe Jeanty Maternity hospital in the Chancerelles neighbourhood triggering displacement and panic among the communities in the area.
MSF recalled that on June 15 more than a 100 people, mostly women and children, fleeing the fighting sought refuge and access to water inside the maternity hospital.
‘One woman was injured in the leg by a stray bullet inside the hospital grounds and was stabilized by our teams on site. The MSF hospital in Tabarre also treated people injured following the clashes in the area.’
MSF said that following further escalation in the fighting, the authorities were forced to suspend activities the next morning.
‘MSF continued to provide emergency care, patients’ stabilisation and referrals for several days, but was then forced to evacuate its staff and suspend all activities on the morning of June 19. ‘
The head of MSF Mission in Haiti, Nicholas Tessier, said ‘we have tried to provide a minimum level of life-saving support to the population with a reduced team and limited capacity. We treated several women who managed to reach the maternity hospital despite the insecurity, including one who gave birth to twins.
‘But today we can no longer continue: the hospital is riddled with bullet holes, our teams are exhausted, and it has become extremely difficult for ambulances to refer patients and find facilities able to receive them,’ Tessier added.
MSF said that in Cité Soleil, home to around 300,000 people, access to health care for women is almost non-existent. Many are forced to give birth at home in precarious conditions, significantly increasing the risk of obstetric complications.
The suspension of activities at the Isaïe Jeanty Maternity hospital, caused by this latest surge in violence, further worsens an already critical situation: women now have almost no options left to receive care.
MSF had already been forced to temporarily suspend its activities in May at its hospital in Cité Soleil, located a few kilometres from the maternity hospital. As the security situation continues to deteriorate, the entire health system in the area is under threat.
‘It is essential that armed actors respect civilians and that health facilities are protected at all costs so that medical teams can treat those in need,’ MSF added.