Gang Violence Forces MSF to Suspend Intensive Care in Haiti

The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on Tuesday that it has stopped its activities in Haiti due to the new wave of violence.

In a statement on its website, MSF announced that its staff were threatened by the police. The organization reported that at least two patients died and its employees were harassed in an attack on an ambulance on November 11. The following week, Haitian police stopped several MSF vehicles and threatened staff with death or rape.

Christophe Garnier, head of MSF’s mission in Haiti, said staff were accustomed to working in challenging conditions, but “when the forces of law and order became a direct threat, we had no choice but to suspend our activities.”

Gang activity continued Wednesday, with gunfire and smoke billowing from burned homes and barricades, following the latest surge that began earlier this week. Gangs have launched a new assault on Haiti’s capital, targeting an upscale community in Port-au-Prince where gunmen clashed with residents and police.

Ulrika Richardson, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, said Monday and Tuesday’s events showed the gangs’ intent to “seize more territory in the capital.”

The attack came just days after gang violence forced the closure of Haiti’s main international airport for the second time this year as the country vowed to appoint a new prime minister amid political strife.

The situation in Port-au-Prince worsened late on Tuesday when MSF announced it was suspending intensive care in the capital, accusing police officers of violence and threats against staff, including rape and death.

The charity will stop admitting and transferring patients to its five medical facilities from Wednesday; This will be a serious blow to a country with very limited medical care.

“We are sorry and deeply concerned about this impact, but we also feel that there is no other way to stop this violence against us,” Garnier said.

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