Conflict in Haiti is Exacerbating a Deteriorating Health Crisis
Rampant gang violence in Haiti is pushing the health system to a breaking point. As gang violence grows in Port-au-Prince, Haitians are facing a declining health care system, escalating food insecurity, and limited access to water. This continued insecurity is forcing many Haitians to flee their homes, with over 362,000 people internally displaced since the beginning of 2024, and 731,000 displaced over the past two years furthering instability and the impact on host countries.
“The security situation in Port-au-Prince has had a direct impact on Haitians and the humanitarian organizations that serve them. Gang violence has brought aid deliveries to a halt and led to government entities not functioning or functioning only intermittently,” said Dr. Tamakloe, Project HOPE’s Country Director for Haiti. “The violence and limited humanitarian aid will only break the already fragile health system. Project HOPE’s team in Grand Sud, Haiti has noticed a significant uptick in the migration of people fleeing the violence in Port-au-Prince. This has exponentially increased the demand for support. While our team has adequate medicine and medical supplies today, we are uncertain what could happen in the coming days and weeks. If violence continues, lifesaving shipments of aid will be disrupted.”
To reach people without access to healthcare, Project HOPE continues to deploy mobile medical units in the South and Nippes departments to provide people with medical care, mental health counseling, and support for survivors of gender-based violence. Given the lack of health infrastructure, mobile medical units have proven to be an effective means of reaching people in rural areas.
Project HOPE has a long history of partnering with local communities in Haiti to rebuild and enhance health services, as well as respond to emergencies and health crises brought on by disasters, disease outbreaks, and economic conditions.
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Project HOPE has team members in the region available for interviews. Photos of Project HOPE’s response in Haiti are available here.
For media inquiries, contact media@projecthope.org.
