Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced Wednesday the temporary closure of its hospital in the shanty town of Cite-Soleil due to the deterioration of the security situation in Haiti in recent days, within the already serious context of crisis that the country is suffering.
“Exposed to a high security risk, Doctors Without Borders is forced to close its hospital in Cite-Soleil,” the NGO said in a statement.
The violence spreads in a very worrying way since last February 28 in all the districts of the Haitian capital, with the population caught in the crossfire between armed gangs and with no choice but to flee their homes.
“We are experiencing the effects of the war a few meters from our facilities. Our hospital has not been a direct target, but we have been a collateral victim of the fighting, as the hospital is in the front line” of fire in the gangs’ fight for control of territory, said Vincent Harris, an MSF member.
The organization stated that it cannot guarantee the safety of its staff and patients after extremely violent clashes are taking place between heavily armed groups just meters from the hospital grounds.
“Lost bullets”
Several stray bullets have been found inside the hospital and access has become almost impossible for patients, some of whom have been injured in clashes around the hospital grounds.
“We are aware that the closure of this hospital will seriously harm the inhabitants of Cite-Soleil, but our teams cannot work until security conditions are guaranteed,” continued the head of the NGO.
At least 60 people died between February 24 and March 4 and 50 are missing due to clashes between two coalitions of armed groups fighting for control of territory in Port-au-Prince, the G9 and the GPEP, according to a report. of the NGO Reseau National de Defense des Droits Humains (RNDDH).