Haiti: Surge in violence in Port-au-Prince threatens people’s access to critical medical care
MSF calls for civilians and medical facilities to be spared
Amid escalating armed clashes in the Haitian capital, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has received numerous wounded patients at our hospitals, including women and children. We call on the authorities and all parties involved to spare civilians and ensure access to healthcare facilities for all the wounded and sick, without distinction.
Heavy gunfire and drone explosions have increased in the Plaine de Cul-de-Sac area, in the northeastern part of Port-au-Prince, following the disappearance, on Oct. 18, 2026, of several members of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) during an attack on their vehicle by members of armed groups.
“We fear that these armed conflicts will claim even more victims and displace even more people in the coming days.”
– Davina Hayles, MSF country manager in Haiti
Between Oct. 18 and 26, 30 patients injured by gunfire or drone explosions were admitted and treated at MSF hospitals in Tabarre and Cité Soleil neighbourhoods.
“We are very concerned about this surge in violence in multiple densely populated neighbourhoods of the capital. Among the victims, we have admitted multiple women and children — it is shocking to see them arriving at our hospitals, wounded by gunfire or explosions,” says Davina Hayles, MSF country manager in Haiti. “We fear that these armed conflicts will claim even more victims and displace even more people in the coming days, particularly with the arrival of additional international security forces. Some of our Haitian colleagues have themselves been forced to leave their homes and take refuge in MSF accommodations. It is imperative that civilians be protected and spared.”
Due to the ongoing conflicts, MSF has also observed that multiple patients have faced serious difficulties accessing healthcare facilities.
“Some patients with gunshot wounds took several hours to reach our hospitals in Tabarre and Cité Soleil. Roads and bridges are blocked, and any travel is extremely risky. In a capital city where the healthcare system has collapsed and many facilities are closed, it is essential to ensure there is access to functioning healthcare facilities like ours,” says Hayles.
MSF has also been forced to suspend our mobile clinic operations and distributions of treated water in the various neighbourhoods affected by armed conflict.
“This is a double blow for our patients and for people who lack access to treated water in these neighbourhoods of the capital. At any moment, they could become direct or collateral victims, and on top of that, they find themselves deprived of access to healthcare and water. This situation is dreadful, ” says Hayles. MSF calls on the authorities and all parties involved to spare civilians and protect people’s access to critical medical care.
