Doctors fear for their lives while scraping for basic medical supplies in Port-au-Prince
The escalation of gang violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has prompted hospitals to close, caused a shortage of medical supplies and forced medical workers to suspend urgent assistance for Haitians.
The escalation of gang violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has prompted hospitals to close, caused a shortage of medical supplies and forced medical workers to suspend urgent assistance for Haitians.
At St. Damien Pediatric Hospital, doctors, nurses and other staff are worried about shootings and kidnappings that are taking place around the corner.
“Some of our hospital staff are scared and fear for their lives,” said Jennifer Rayno of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos Haiti, which leads the fundraising effort for St. Damien.
Armed groups have also directly assaulted hospitals and specifically targeted medical personnel in St. Damien, which is located perilously close to the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, where armed groups aim their weapons at U.S. military attempting to fortify security and evacuate citizens.
Haitian police stand guard on a street corner amid gang violence in Port-au-Prince on April 8.Clarens Siffroy / AFP via Getty ImagesThe hospital serves children battling cancer and other chronic illnesses in a population largely grappling with poverty. “We are the only center in the country that provides pediatric oncology care,” Rayno said.The ongoing violence is worsening the already daunting task of providing critical medical care for residents in and around the Haitian capital, U.N. humanitarian officials told NBC News.
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