For several years, Haiti has been engulfed in a socioeconomic, political and humanitarian crisis that has reached critical levels since mid-September 2022 due to escalating armed violence and gang control of territory. Widespread insecurity and political instability have drastically affected the country's access to essential goods and services, such as food, water and sanitation, and health care, and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
Meanwhile, a cholera epidemic resurged in October 2022 after 3 years without cases and spread rapidly across the country. While the cholera outbreak seems under control, conditions remain in place for a heightened risk of further spread of the disease, as well as other diseases such as dengue, TB, measles, and polio, notably in Internally Displaced Populations (IDP) sites.
Since February 29, 2024, the humanitarian situation in Haiti has rapidly escalated due to the rise in violence linked to gang activities in Port-au-Prince and nearby areas. In response, a State of Emergency has been declared for the West Department, including Port-au-Prince, effective until April 3.
The population of Haiti is grappling with an unprecedented lack of access to medical services, particularly in the capital where most major hospitals have closed due to the inability to guarantee the safety of staff and patients and shortage in necessary resources to maintain their operations. In the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area (PaP), less than half of the health facilities are operating at their normal capacity, placing immense pressure on local healthcare systems. Difficulties in accessing services are adversely affecting patients with chronic illnesses and pregnant women, leading to an increase in critical medical and obstetric emergencies.
As of March 25, 2024
Ports of entry: The international airport remains closed, making it impossible to import essential goods, including medicines. The national port of Port-au-Prince is now operational; however, it remains difficult to access as the surrounding areas are under gang control.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): There are 362,551 IDPs are reported in the country, with a significant increase between January and March 20241. Humanitarian actors are unable to access to the majority of Internally displaced persons IDPs.
Hospitals: Less than 50% of health facilities in the PaP area are functioning at their regular capacity. The Hopital Universitaire d'Etat d'Haiti (HUEH), the biggest and most important hospital in Haiti, is set to resume its services on April 1st. Meanwhile, Hopital Universitaire la Paix (HUP) continues to remain the only public health facility with the capacity of treating trauma patients in Port-au-Prince. A change in patient profile is being observed at hospitals and ambulatory emergency rooms, with a drop in firearm-related injuries and increases in road accident injuries, decompensating patients with chronic illnesses in critical condition and obstetric emergencies. Functioning hospitals are struggling to cover their operating expenses due to the inability of patients to afford health services, forcing health facilities to exonerate more and more patients.
After more than 3 years with no cases, on 1 October 2022 Haiti national authorities reported two confirmed cases of cholera in the greater Port-au-Prince area. As of 31 January 2024 (latest official report), the MSPP reported 79,411 total suspected cases, 4,608 confirmed cases, 75,160 hospitalized cases, 887 institutional deaths and 285 community deaths.
Recent months have seen a steady reduction in the number of reported cholera cases. While the outbreak seems to be receding and under control, high levels of insecurity are negatively impacting cholera response and case reporting.
Risk factors for cholera spread remain present and are heightened by the crisis as water supply becomes scarce and sanitary conditions deteriorate, which could result in a resurgence of new cholera cases. Continued support to surveillance, early detection and rapid response are essential conditions for maintaining the control of the outbreak and breaking the transmission chain in a sustainable way.
More information on the latest Cholera Situation Report.
En réponse à cette résurgence du choléra, l'Organisation panaméricaine de la Santé (OPS) a activé son système de gestion des incidents aux niveaux régional et national et coordonne étroitement avec les autorités de santé publique haïtiennes pour soutenir la réponse dans le pays.
Comme réponse initiale immédiate, l'OPS Haïti a fait don de 2 tonnes de fournitures et de matériel médical à l'organisation internationale Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) pour la gestion des cas et la désinfection à partir de son stock d'urgence à Port-au-Prince, ainsi que de quatre tentes - deux à MSF et deux au MSPP - pour établir quatre centres de traitement du choléra pour 50 patients chacun.
Distribución de productos de higiene y saneamiento en 23 puntos del área metropolitana de Puerto Príncipe a 37.000 desplazados internos.
Apoyo a las autoridades locales para reanudar las actividades de vigilancia y prestación de servicios sanitarios (clínicas móviles) en los emplazamientos de desplazados internos.
Suministro de combustible al Centro Nacional de Ambulancias (Centre Ambulancier National- CAN) para garantizar la continuidad de las operaciones de las ambulancias dentro del área metropolitana de Puerto Príncipe.
Fortalecimiento de la vigilancia epidemiológica y de laboratorio a escala nacional y departamental, para el cólera y otras enfermedades propensas a epidemias.
En réponse à cette résurgence du choléra, l'Organisation panaméricaine de la Santé (OPS) a activé son système de gestion des incidents aux niveaux régional et national et coordonne étroitement avec les autorités de santé publique haïtiennes pour soutenir la réponse dans le pays.
Comme réponse initiale immédiate, l'OPS Haïti a fait don de 2 tonnes de fournitures et de matériel médical à l'organisation internationale Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) pour la gestion des cas et la désinfection à partir de son stock d'urgence à Port-au-Prince, ainsi que de quatre tentes - deux à MSF et deux au MSPP - pour établir quatre centres de traitement du choléra pour 50 patients chacun.
Distribución de productos de higiene y saneamiento en 23 puntos del área metropolitana de Puerto Príncipe a 37.000 desplazados internos.
Apoyo a las autoridades locales para reanudar las actividades de vigilancia y prestación de servicios sanitarios (clínicas móviles) en los emplazamientos de desplazados internos.
Suministro de combustible al Centro Nacional de Ambulancias (Centre Ambulancier National- CAN) para garantizar la continuidad de las operaciones de las ambulancias dentro del área metropolitana de Puerto Príncipe.
Fortalecimiento de la vigilancia epidemiológica y de laboratorio a escala nacional y departamental, para el cólera y otras enfermedades propensas a epidemias.
En réponse à cette résurgence du choléra, l'Organisation panaméricaine de la Santé (OPS) a activé son système de gestion des incidents aux niveaux régional et national et coordonne étroitement avec les autorités de santé publique haïtiennes pour soutenir la réponse dans le pays.
Comme réponse initiale immédiate, l'OPS Haïti a fait don de 2 tonnes de fournitures et de matériel médical à l'organisation internationale Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) pour la gestion des cas et la désinfection à partir de son stock d'urgence à Port-au-Prince, ainsi que de quatre tentes - deux à MSF et deux au MSPP - pour établir quatre centres de traitement du choléra pour 50 patients chacun.
En réponse à cette résurgence du choléra, l'Organisation panaméricaine de la Santé (OPS) a activé son système de gestion des incidents aux niveaux régional et national et coordonne étroitement avec les autorités de santé publique haïtiennes pour soutenir la réponse dans le pays.
Comme réponse initiale immédiate, l'OPS Haïti a fait don de 2 tonnes de fournitures et de matériel médical à l'organisation internationale Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) pour la gestion des cas et la désinfection à partir de son stock d'urgence à Port-au-Prince, ainsi que de quatre tentes - deux à MSF et deux au MSPP - pour établir quatre centres de traitement du choléra pour 50 patients chacun.
PAHO/WHO is working closely with national health authorities, other UN agencies and local and international health partners to address the Haitian population's most pressing health needs during this crisis and protect the lives of the most vulnerable.
Urgent health needs include:
Procuring blood transfusion supplies, oxygen, and essential medicines and medical equipment required by hospitals and health partners to support emergency care delivery;
Ensuring access to food, transportation, and financial gratification for overworked healthcare professionals reporting for duty;
Providing technical, operational and logistics support to HUP and other operational health facilities (fuel, minor repairs, generators, mass casualty plan) to maintain operations;
Supporting the National Ambulance Center to increase the transfer of patients and victims (fuel, spare parts, medical supplies).
Prepositioning and scaling up logistics and supply chain operations in the Dominican Republic for rapid mobilization of supplies wards Haiti until the humanitarian corridor opens.
Access Haiti's Health Emergency Appeal to learn more.