In a note, Dr. Jean William Pape, Executive Director of the GHESKIO Centers informs that the past week armed individuals have invaded the premises of the GHESKIO Centers in the Bicentenaire, shooting in the air, threatening patients and staff, sowing terror and forcing evacuation of the premises.

Dr. Pape underlines "Although our institution is located in the middle of an armed conflict zone, it is the first time in 38 years of existence that we have suffered this kind of aggression. The operation had been prepared and organized in such a way as to terrorize the GHESKIO Centers" adding "Contrary to the rumor circulating on social networks, the management of the GHESKIO Centers specifies that it never and would never finance criminal activities, nor pay blackmailers.

We strongly denounce this practice and condemn the attack by an armed group on a health institution that works in the community offering free services to the most deprived populations."

Recalling that the mission of GHESKIO is to contribute to improving the quality of health care offered to poor populations through prevention and clinical care. "These services centered on the family unit include: free care in the following areas: infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis including multidrug-resistant TB, cholera, malaria, COVID-19 ...), cardiovascular diseases, health care pediatric and maternal children, care for adolescents at risk and victims of sexual violence [...] Among the beneficiaries of these services are. at the top of the list, the inhabitants of the Village of God, of the City of the Eternal, of the City Plus, immediate neighbors of the Institution."

Note that, the day after the incident (November 12), the institution reopened its doors to continue to offer its services to the population.

HL/ HaitiLibre