Overview:
As gang violence forces greater than 20 hospitals to shut, St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Tabarre, Port-au-Prince, stays one of many few nonetheless working. Nonetheless, with shortages of drugs, meals and hospital capability, officers are calling for worldwide help to maintain the ability operating.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — As gang violence paralyzes Haiti’s capital and its surrounding areas, forcing greater than 20 hospitals to shut, St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Tabarre, just a few miles northeast of downtown Port-au-Prince, stays among the many few nonetheless working. However the hospital—recognized for treating childhood sicknesses, performing lifesaving surgical procedures, and caring for high-risk pregnancies—is now in danger itself. Price range shortfalls, dwindling provides and the worsening safety disaster have pushed the ability to the brink, main its officers to subject an pressing plea for assist.
“Solidarity is aware of no borders. If folks outdoors assist us, it means we’re not alone in going through these challenges,” Dr. Pascale Gassant, medical director of St. Damien Hospital, advised The Haitian Occasions..
On the event of World Well being Day, on April 7, Haiti’s healthcare system is getting ready to full collapse. It has been devastated by gang violence, with many hospitals looted and shut down.
Earlier than the resurgence in escalation final month, over 20 private and non-private medical facilities had already ceased operations, together with essential hospitals comparable to the next:
- State College Hospital of Haiti (HUEH), also referred to as l’Hôpital Basic
- Saint-François de Gross sales Hospital in downtown Port-au-Prince
- Sprint Hospital in Delmas 18
- Croix-des-Bouquets Well being Heart
- Sainte-Catherine Labouré Hospital in Cité Soleil
- Aurore du Bel-Air Well being Heart
- Saint-Martin 2 Well being Heart (Rue Saint-Martin)
- Saint-Martin 1 Well being Heart (Delmas 3 and 18)
- Sanatorium Hospital in Carrefour-Feuilles
- Bon-Repos Group Hospital
- Beudet Group Hospital
- Pernier Well being Heart
In December 2024, gangs attacked the State College Hospital, killing two journalists and injuring no less than seven folks in a shootout. Medical doctors With out Borders—Médecins Sans Frontières—which reopened a few of its well being facilities throughout the Port-au-Prince metropolitan space, suspended its actions once more in March 2025 after armed assaults on its workers.
In the meantime, the roads to the few remaining hospitals, together with St. Damien, are more and more harmful, making it practically inconceivable for sufferers and medical workers to journey safely.
“We’re decided. Day-after-day, we danger our lives. However we’d like assist,” mentioned Dr. Gassant.
“Solidarity is aware of no borders. If folks outdoors assist us, it means we’re not alone in going through these challenges.”
Dr. Pascale Gassant, medical director of St. Damien Hospital
How St. Damien fights to avoid wasting lives
Based in 1989 and operated by the nonprofit Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs, French for “Our Little Brothers and Sisters,” St. Damien is Haiti’s solely pediatric hospital offering full-scale providers, together with childhood most cancers remedies and maternal care. It stays a lifeline for hundreds of weak Haitian households.
St. Damien Hospital treats roughly 50,000 sufferers yearly. With 224 beds, the hospital has expanded its maternity and neonatology providers because the 2010 earthquake. It offers emergency care and treats circumstances comparable to malnutrition, dehydration, and infectious illnesses like tuberculosis and HIV, in addition to non-infectious illnesses comparable to most cancers and coronary heart illness. The hospital additionally helps deserted youngsters and affords social help to sufferers in want.
Regardless of gang threats, 500 docs, nurses and different workers proceed working on the hospital, treating youngsters and moms underneath excessive circumstances.
In 2024 alone, St. Damien recorded the next outcomes:
- 1,260 births
- 131 pediatric surgical procedures
- 46 new most cancers instances handled
- 100+ youngsters seen day by day within the outpatient clinic
- 500 youngsters vaccinated every month
The hospital’s 25-bed neonatology unit manages about 50% of Haiti’s toddler mortality instances, whereas its oncology middle treats practically all pediatric cancers, besides mind tumors.
Nonetheless, funding shortages now threaten its malnutrition therapy packages, maternity and neonatology care and mother-to-child HIV prevention packages.
“We imagine in a greater future. It’s important to all the time have hope. With out hope, life loses its which means. Lespwa fè viv,” mentioned Dr. Gassant. “Regardless of the insecurity, we should proceed our mission for youngsters and moms.”
“I might have died, however St. Damien recognized and handled my severe coronary heart illness.”
Davie, a former affected person of St. Damien Pediatric Hospital
“I might have died”: A former affected person’s testimony
A former St. Damien affected person, who requested to be recognized by their first identify, Davie, resulting from security considerations, is aware of firsthand how essential the hospital is. At 11 years previous, he was misdiagnosed with a chilly, however St. Damien’s docs found he had a life-threatening coronary heart situation. Two surgical procedures later, Davie survived—and immediately, at 24, he helps the hospital’s fundraising efforts.
“I might have died, however St. Damien recognized and handled my coronary heart illness,” Davie mentioned in a video shared with The Haitian Occasions by the hospital workers. “Because of their generosity, I survived—and now, I assist others.”
After shedding his mom, Davie and his sister grew to become orphans. When he fell unwell, what was initially regarded as a chilly turned out to be a severe coronary heart situation, which St. Damien’s docs handled.
Sincerely grateful to the medical workers at St. Damien, Davie went on to earn his levels in Interpretation, Translation, and Entrepreneurship. He now works as a medical translator, helping international medical workers and volunteers in speaking with sufferers. “I really feel very blessed,” he says.
A name for pressing help
St. Damien is struggling to maintain its operations, with United States help to Haiti frozen and USAID funds stalled. The hospital makes use of the event of World Well being Day on April 7 to lift consciousness and search emergency funding.
“If St. Damien didn’t exist, youngsters and moms would die,” mentioned Dr. Jenny Edouard, former HIV/AIDS program coordinator now dwelling within the U.S.
As illnesses unfold, malnutrition worsens, and violence escalates, Haiti’s healthcare system is collapsing. With out instant help, even the final remaining hospitals might not survive.
“We’re used to crises, however the challenges we face immediately are better than ever,” mentioned Dr. Gassant. “Hope should be preserved so we will proceed our mission.”
The disaster at St. Damien is a part of a broader humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti. Since 2022, over 82,000 suspected cholera instances have been reported, and 1.6 million individuals are experiencing acute meals insecurity, worsening malnutrition, and the unfold of illnesses. Regardless of these challenges, hospitals like St. Damien proceed to function however face overwhelming obstacles, together with restricted provides, broken infrastructure, and ongoing insecurity.
UNICEF and different humanitarian organizations battle to ship essential provides through an airlift from Panama, whereas the nation’s paralyzed infrastructure additional exacerbates the disaster. These challenges threaten to push Haiti deeper right into a humanitarian catastrophe.