Haiti Crisis: A Brief Look | Explainer Video

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Published Jun 22, 2024

The situation in the gang-ravaged capital of Haiti has gone from worrying to “extremely alarming” as conditions in Port-au-Prince continue to worsen amid growing hunger and serious shortages in hospitals to treat gunshot victims, said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator there on Thursday.

“It’s important we don’t let the violence spill over from the capital into the country,” said Ulrika Richardson, briefing journalists at UN Headquarters via videolink from Haiti.

She said orchestrated gang attacks on prisons, ports, hospitals and the palace have unfolded over the past weeks, but in the past few days these heavily armed groups have been advancing into new areas of the capital.

“There is human suffering at an alarming scale,” she said, describing daily tension, sounds of gunshots and fear rising throughout the capital.

Abhorrent human rights violations are ongoing, with more than 2,500 people killed, kidnapped or injured, she said, stressing that sexual violence is rampant, with the use of torture and “collective rape” against women.

A total of 5.5 million Haitians needed assistance, more than three million of them children. Food security remains a grave concern, with malnutrition being reported in a growing number of youngsters. In addition, 45 per cent of Haitians do not have access to clean water.

Haiti is “one step away from famine”, she warned, calling for urgent support for the humanitarian response plan, which requires $674 million but is only six per cent funded.

With more funds, “we can do more” to help the people of Haiti, she said, saying that “time is running out”.

The Humanitarian Coordinator said UN-backed flights to Haiti have brought some shipments of lifesaving supplies, including blood transfusion bags for hospitals treating growing numbers of gunshot victims.

At the same time, the airport is closed to commercial traffic, making it impossible to import essential goods, including medicines. The national port is operational, but accessing it is challenging, as the surrounding areas are controlled by gangs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that less than half of health facilities in Port-au-Prince are functioning at their normal capacity, and there is a pressing need for safe blood products, anaesthetics and other essential medicines.

According to the World Food Programme, 1.4 million people are facing emergency levels of hunger and need assistance to survive.