Maternity care and orphanages in Haiti shutting down with another Bloody Day on November 13

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

Haiti, November 24, 2023 – Some Haitian women, mothers specifically and soon to be mothers are left somewhat if not entirely without access to the special care they need, as maternity care is being severely impacted by the growing lack of safety from gang activity.

On November 15th, 2023, discord which led to clashes, resulted in the unwilling, indefinite closure of the Fontaine hospital, a private facility that provides important maternity care service to women.

This was not the first instance unfortunately as a few weeks prior, in late October, another maternity center called Saint Damiens had to halt treatment as well; closing its doors because of insecurity.

Some medical centers are still operating in other parts of Haiti as the staff of the shut facilities were transferred; they are relocated to Port-au- Prince, according to a November 20th report by OCHA, for Latin America and the Caribbean, which was giving its weekly update on the crisis in Haiti

This comes following a disturbing resurgence in violence on November 13; it saw rival armed groups in a deadly clash causing displacement and injuries in areas like Citè Soleil, “a commune in the capital, Port au Prince,” the report informed.

The record reflects that 1000 people were forced out of their home and 166 were killed.

Now, with so many displaced, this not only decreases the people in the area as some would naturally flee, but also the number of nurses being relocated and for good reason. What this does is reduce the access to medical care in the affected areas, Cité Soleil.

With other medical institutions closing by force, the number of facilities is clearly reducing.

In fact, in Cité Soleil, there is only one medical center left open.

Among the recent evacuees, 58 children, said the report.