Muthomi Ireri
Haitian police, heavily armed, patrolled the vicinity of University Hospital in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday ahead of a visit by the Prime Minister.
The main hospital in the Haitian capital has been shuttered for over five months since gangs seized control of the surrounding area. On Sunday night, police cleared the area after a brief exchange of gunfire with remaining gang members.
The hospital’s walls and nearby buildings bear bullet holes, stark reminders of the frequent violence and shootouts that have plagued downtown Port-au-Prince, near the National Palace. The Haitian National Police acted to reclaim the hospital and the territory overrun by gangs, following the recent deployment of a U.N.-backed contingent of Kenyan police aimed at quelling escalating violence.
Prime Minister Gary Conille, accompanied by Haiti’s police chief, visited the hospital under tight security, describing the area as resembling a “war zone.”
Criminal assaults by organized groups have pushed Haiti’s healthcare system to its breaking point, leading to an influx of patients with severe illnesses and exacerbating resource shortages for their treatment.
The already strained healthcare system faces additional challenges from the impending rainy season, which threatens to worsen conditions and increase the risk of waterborne diseases.
Since February of this year, numerous hospitals and clinics in the capital have been forced to close due to surging gang violence, making it increasingly hazardous for both patients and medical personnel to access essential healthcare facilities.
Dj Vnyash
Silverio Omari
