Gangs

The Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti was a half-measure - a force deployed with too few members, too little equipment, and too little political support.  The mission is under-funded, there isn't an agreed upon strategy for countering the gangs, and as a result, Caribbean nations and other countries are putting their deployments on hold.  The security situation continues to deteriorate - and by extension health, nutrition, human rights, the economy, and what little governance there is.  Without more leadership, coordination and commitment the mission will fail.  The most recent article by the Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles is linked and below. 

According to UNICEF, Haiti's health system is "on the verge of collapse" with six out of 10 hospitals in the country barely operational. UNICEF emphasised that violence, mass displacement, dangerous epidemics, and increasing malnutrition have put the country's already weakened health system under great strain but it may be supply chain breaks that cause it to collapse. Getting vital supplies, health care staff, and patients to where they need to be has become logistically challenging and dangerous due to gang-violence.  It remains unclear, even after all this time, when the Kenyan-led security force will arrive - and without security, access to health care will suffer.  The full BBC article by Jaroslav Lukiv follows.  

Even in more peaceful times, Haiti's patchwork system of governmental, charity, and private sector health care facilities were insufficient to meet the needs of the population.  Conflict with and between gangs has caused the situation to deteriorate further with over 30 private and public health care facilities having been vandalised or forced to close.  Those still open often lack staff, stocks, and security.  Haiti has only enough vaccines to last until the end of the month, health care facilities throughout the country struggle to have pharmaceuticals delivered through largely gang-controlled Port-au-Prince, and cholera is spreading on top of increasing food insecurity and malnutrition.  At this point, the situation is so difficult that re-establishing security would in and of itself be a health intervention.  The full article by Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald is linked and follows. 

Kenya's Foreign Ministry said his country is ready to lead a multinational force into Haiti, which is experiencing a surge in violence between police and gangs.  During a time when so few countries are willing to get involved in Haiti's increasingly desperate situation, it is refreshing to see a country, and one that is not even remotely close to Haiti geographically, offer to take a leadership role.  The proposed 1,000 police officers would help train and assist the Haitian National Police in restoring security.  The deployment would still require a U.N Security Council mandate and formal approvals in Kenya.  The brief article is linked and follows, updates will be posted in comments. 

The United Nations emphasizes that Haiti is in a dire situation and now is not the time to deport Haitians. The majority of deportations take place from the Dominican Republic with neither due process nor advance notice to the Haitian authorities responsible for receiving them. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports 154,333 Haitians were expelled by the Dominican Republic last year - about 87% of all deportations to Haiti in 2022.  It is true that insecurity in Haiti affect the Dominican Republic as well - but conducting mass deportations only makes a bad situation worse - politically, economically, and for human rights. The full article by Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald follows. 

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) works in difficult and insecure environments around the world, including Port-au-Prince.  Over half the city is controlled by gangs and fighting amongst them has caused MSF to temporarily close its maternity hospital.  Many health care facilities throughout Haiti have been negatively impacted by insecurity - to the detriment of their patients who need their services more than ever.  The full Al Jazeera article follows. 

Insecurity in Port au Prince and beyond continues to negatively impact the economy, health care, and other basic services throughout the country.  MSF/Doctors Without Borders, which operates in insecure environments around the world, has temporarily shut down a second time.  Due to lack of fuel, clinics are suspending operations - this at a time, when cholera cases are increasing.  The UN is calling for a humanitarian corridor through which both fuel and aid workers can transit safely.  It wouldn't solve the fundamental problems but it would at least reduce the severity fo the current situation.  The full article article by Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald follows.