Caring for the Displaced in Haiti: Overcoming Health Challenges Amid Escalating Armed Violence

Marie-Lore, a 26-year-old mother of three, looks down at her children in despair. Her home in Delmas was burned to the ground by armed groups, forcing her to flee with nothing but a small bag. Her son was saved from the flames by a neighbor, but now, in a temporary shelter in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with hundreds of other displaced families, she struggles to keep her children safe and healthy. “I wish we could have access to clean water, so we could keep ourselves safe and clean,” she says.

Like Marie Lore, Dama, 29, also fled her home in Port-au-Prince after it was destroyed in the violence. She now lives with her four sons in a school-turned-Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) site, in precarious conditions. “I don’t like this life,” she says, noting the lack of food and the constant risk of disease in overcrowded shelters. “My child has had a fever for days, and I can’t afford to take him to the hospital. I fear he might catch cholera from the conditions here.”

The voices of Marie-Lore, Dama, and many others, tell the story of Haiti's current humanitarian crisis driven by escalating violence and widespread displacement.


Access to Water and Hygiene: A Vital Priority

Haiti’s humanitarian situation has grown increasingly dire in recent months. In November 2024, renewed violence from armed groups in and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince displaced over 300,000 people, pushing the total number of displaced Haitians to more than 1 million, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, leaving families without homes, income or access to basic necessities.

Escalating violence has also led to the closure of 39% of health facilities, including two of the city’s three major hospitals. Access to healthcare has never been more limited.

To address this, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and other humanitarian partners, are working to prioritize access to clean water and sanitation.

In November 2024, PAHO/WHO donated over 3.5 tons of supplies, including water purification tablets, soap, and hygiene kits, to assist the most vulnerable communities.

In addition to distributing vital supplies, PAHO/WHO has trained and deployed more than 30 hygienists to conduct sanitation activities, distribute water purification tablets, and to provide vital information on hygiene and protective practices to those living in the IDP camps. The Organization has also supported the deployment of epidemiological surveillance teams to detect, notify, and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases as well as 15 mobile clinics staffed by doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. These clinics facilitated over 11,600 health consultations in 2024 and, since November 2024, have provided vital healthcare services to more than 3,200 recently displaced people.


Maternal Health: A Hidden Crisis

In addition to increased exposure to infectious diseases like cholera, the disproportionate health risks faced by women and children are especially concerning. Many new or expectant mothers are among the displaced and lack access to essential healthcare services for both them and their newborns.

To address these pressing concerns, PAHO/WHO collaborates with the MSPP to ensure the presence of midwives within the sites. Over the past two months, these midwives monitored 27 pregnant women in 10 IDP sites and referred 18 of them to hospital for delivery or to address pregnancy-related complications.  In 2024, 3,406 deliveries, including 1554 caesarean sections, were performed in 3 hospitals in Port-au-Prince (HUP, Eliazar Germain and Fontaine), supported by PAHO/WHO.

An urgent call to action

With an estimated 4.2 million people expected to require health assistance in Haiti in 2025, the situation is becoming increasingly desperate. This is compounded by a financial shortfall to support the humanitarian health response.  PAHO/WHO has called for $18.5 million in funding to sustain its operations and continue providing essential health services in the coming year.

“Despite the efforts of PAHO and others, the threats to human health and safety and national security are devastating. Sustained support and collaboration remain critical as the journey to save lives and restore health services continues," Dr. Oscar Barreneche, PAHO/WHO representative in Haiti said. “With current funding set to end by the close of the month, the urgency to secure additional resources is greater than ever.”

PAHO's response operations have been made possible through collaborations with partners such as the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union (DG ECHO).