The escalating gang violence in Port-au-Prince has led to the displacement of tens of thousands, with the UN reporting over 53,000 fleeing between March 8-27, straining rural regions unequipped to handle such an influx.
With Port-au-Prince's hospitals severely affected by gang attacks, including the looting of Delmas 18 and Saint-Martin health centers, access to medical care has become even more challenging for the city's residents.
Gangs in Port-au-Prince have targeted businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities, significantly delaying the reopening of critical institutions like the State University of Haiti hospital, which had been shut due to violence.
As Prime Minister Ariel Henry negotiated for a multinational security force in Kenya, warring gangs united to oust him, seizing control of Port-au-Prince's port and roads, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis by obstructing medical supply deliveries.
The UN warns that rural areas, still recovering from the 2021 earthquake, lack the infrastructure to support the massive displacement from Port-au-Prince, where gang violence has surged, further destabilizing the already fragile region.