Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) announced it will suspend its medical operations in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, citing multiple threats and violent encounters with local police. This decision adds to the growing humanitarian crisis in a nation already burdened by gang violence and political instability.
The organization reported several alarming incidents, including an attack on November 11, where officers and vigilantes assaulted an MSF ambulance transporting three injured patients. Tragically, two patients lost their lives during the incident. Following this, MSF vehicles were reportedly stopped multiple times, with staff members subjected to threats of violence, including death and rape.
“This sequence of events has left us no alternative but to halt operations in Port-au-Prince until conditions improve,” stated Christophe Garnier, MSF’s head of mission in Haiti.
For years, hospitals and health workers in Haiti have faced challenges from various armed groups, including police, vigilante mobs, and rival gangs. These groups are often accused of invading medical facilities in search of wounded adversaries, further endangering staff and patients. While Haitian police assert their adherence to legal protocols, the escalating security risks have forced MSF to withdraw from the capital.
This suspension halts patient admissions and medical transfers to MSF’s five facilities in Port-au-Prince, disrupting essential health services for thousands. On a weekly basis, MSF treated over 1,100 outpatient cases, provided emergency care to 54 children, and supported more than 80 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
MSF emphasized its commitment to impartial care, treating individuals solely based on medical need. However, Garnier noted, “While we accept operating in insecure environments, threats from law enforcement themselves leave us no choice but to pause our work.”
The halt in operations comes amidst rising violence in Port-au-Prince, where gang conflicts have displaced thousands and subjected civilians to kidnappings and assaults. MSF is the latest among international organizations to suspend services in Haiti.
Recently, U.S.-based airlines halted flights to Haiti after gunfire struck three planes near the capital. Armed gangs were accused of these attacks, which Haiti’s transitional leadership condemned as efforts to further isolate the country globally. Additionally, a United Nations helicopter and U.S. Embassy vehicles were also targeted in separate gunfire incidents.
Earlier this year, coordinated gang activities forced the temporary closure of Port-au-Prince’s airport and seaport, further hindering access to critical humanitarian aid.
As Haiti grapples with worsening conditions, the suspension of MSF’s operations highlights the urgent need for safety and stability to restore essential health services and address the growing humanitarian crisis.
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