Gang violence disables hospitals in Haiti: NYT

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: New York Times
17 Mar 2024 18:53
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Haiti's largest hospital, the State University Hospital, suspended operations due to a lack of donated blood and fuel for generators.

National Police stand guard outside the empty National Penitentiary after a small fire inside in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Haiti, Thursday, March 14, 2024 (AP)

Due to a shortage of medication amidst gang violence, over half of Port-au-Prince's medical facilities are currently non-operational, the New York Times reports.

According to the report, Haiti's largest hospital, the State University Hospital, suspended operations due to a lack of donated blood and fuel for generators.

Doctors expect a rise in maternal and infant mortality in the upcoming weeks, as thousands of women are compelled to deliver babies at home, the report added.

Amidst Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry's visit to Kenya on February 29 to negotiate the deployment of foreign forces to combat organized crime in Haiti, gang violence broke out in downtown Port-au-Prince.

Despite the Prime Minister announcing his resignation on Tuesday, the gangs are aiming to prevent Henry's return to Haiti. Gang violence has led to the storming of the country's largest prison and the release of an undetermined number of inmates.

In light of these events, the Haitian government declared a state of emergency in the capital region.

Kenya had expressed last July its readiness to deploy up to 1,000 personnel to Haiti, a gesture welcomed by the US and other countries that have opted against sending their own troops to the region. However, legal obstacles have impeded the planned mission.

In January, Kenya's High Court ruled that the National Security Council, which sanctioned the deployment, only holds the authority to dispatch the military abroad, not police officers. The judge stipulated that Kenya could send police to another country only if a mutual agreement exists.

On March 1, such an agreement was signed in the presence of Kenyan President William Ruto and Haitian Prime Minister Henry. Nevertheless, an opposition politician who challenged the deployment in the Nairobi High Court has vowed to initiate a fresh legal challenge.

Caribbean leaders have called for an emergency meeting on Monday in Jamaica to address what they describe as Haiti's "dire" situation. They have invited the United States, France, Canada, the UN, and Brazil to attend.

During the meeting, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed another $100 million to back an "international stabilization force," increasing the total pledged by the United States to $300 million since the crisis escalated several years ago. He also proposed an additional $33 million for what he called immediate humanitarian assistance.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has been working for months to persuade political actors in Haiti to form a transitional unity government. With Henry announcing he is stepping down, the goal seems to be getting closer.