SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) announced on Thursday the suspension of its services at a clinic located in the violent Bel-Air neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. This decision comes in light of ongoing clashes between police and armed groups, severely impacting the local community's access to healthcare.
The clinic operated by MSF was vital for residents of the Bel-Air slum, providing the only medical services available in the area. Here, the organization served several thousand patients each month. However, the neighborhood is under the control of the Krache Dife gang, which is a prominent member of a large gang coalition known as Viv Ansanm, meaning “Living Together.”
MSF reported that violent clashes on Tuesday resulted in seven community volunteers being trapped at the clinic for several hours. Tragically, one former volunteer sustained serious injuries and died at the clinic’s gate. The organization stated, “This situation is not an isolated case,” highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by healthcare workers and the communities they serve.
MSF has been operating in Bel-Air since 2022 but has previously halted services due to violence. In October, the organization closed its emergency care center in another area of Port-au-Prince, citing escalating violence throughout the capital, which is now reported to be 90% controlled by gangs. This alarming statistic illustrates the severe deterioration of security and public safety in the region.
Currently, around 60% of health facilities in Port-au-Prince are either closed or nonfunctioning, including Haiti's general hospital. The ongoing violence has led to significant health crises within the community, further exacerbating an already dire situation.
According to the United Nations, from July to September, a shocking total of at least 1,247 people were killed in Haiti, while another 710 were injured amidst the unrest. Moreover, the violence has resulted in the displacement of over 1.4 million people across the country in recent years, highlighting the extensive humanitarian crisis triggered by gang warfare.
In an effort to combat this escalating violence, a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police officers is currently assisting the Haitian police department, which has been criticized for being understaffed and underfunded. However, this mission is evolving into a gang suppression force with the authority to arrest suspected members of these gangs. Initially launched in mid-2024, the mission has struggled to meet its personnel goals, with less than half of the required staff and only 14% of the nearly $800 million budget needed annually having been secured by late 2025.
