Highlights:
· Violence broke out in Haiti on February 29th. Since then, there has been numerous security and humanitarian impacts on the country:
o Armed gangs in the capital have caused the displacement of thousands.
o There have been gang attacks, kidnappings, and gender-based violence.
o Access to basic social services is extremely difficult.
o There are currently 362,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Haiti. These IDPs are sheltering in schools, church yards and construction sites.
· The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) is concerned about the more than 300 aid containers in the main port that are at risk of being looted.
· Healthcare and Public Health:
o The health system remains a major concern, as health organizations have been severely affected by the violence.
o Healthcare Facilities Status:
ü Saint François de Sales Hospital has been forced to shut down.
ü The HUEH which is the largest hospital in the country is under the control of gangs.
ü The Hôpital Saint Camille (Croix-des-Bouquets) was attacked by assailants that stole their oxygen supply.
ü The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) emergency center in Turgeau is open, but only for outpatient emergencies.
ü MSF also opened a new trauma center in Carrefour, however the area is not easily accessible by road.
o Partners in Health reports that its sister organization (Zanmi Lasante) is facing severe challenges in the transportation of vital supplies, including medications. The price of fuel has also skyrocketed.
o There are currently blood shortages at the National Blood Transfusion Center:
ü Additional blood supplies are being transported from the Dominican Republic.
ü The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) is also working to assist the transfusion center.
· Food Security:
o An estimated 1.4 million people are one step away from famine.
o The World Food Programme (WFP) has assisted more than 280,000 people since March 1st:
o A total of 62,000 hot meals have been provided to 14,000 IDPs. However, the funding to provide these meals will expire in two weeks.
o WFPs goal is to reach 2.4 million people in 2024 through emergency assistance (cash and in-kind food rations). They are also working with the government to provide school meals and to implement longer-term programs to help Haitian produce their own food.
· The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners have delivered 29,000 gallons of water to three sites between March 9-10.
· The current Haitian Prime Minister has announced that he would resign immediately upon the installation of a Transitional Presidential Council.
· The U.S. State Department is continuing to monitor the situation. A Level 4 Travel Advisory (Do Not Travel) for Haiti remains in place.
· On March 11th, U.S. Southern Command conducted an operation to augment the security of the U.S. Embassy at Port-au-Prince. This mission allowed the embassy’s missions to continue but also evacuated non-essential personnel.
Sources:
· Following Haiti Prime Minister’s Decision to Resign, Secretary-General Takes Note of Transitional Governance Agreement, Pledges UN Support
· WFP scrambles to respond to hunger crisis in Haiti amid funding crunch as country teeters on the brink
· Haiti Emergency Situation Report No. 5 (As of 11 March 2024)
· OCHA Haiti Twitter Page
· WFP Haiti Twitter Page
· IOM Haiti Twitter Page
· US Southern Command Twitter Page
· US State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs Twitter Page
· Partners in Health Twitter Page
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