The Ministry of Public Health estimates that at least 39% of health structures with beds were closed during the month of April due to insecurity or looting in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince. Among them, the State University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH), the country's main public hospital, which has been unable to reopen its doors due to frequent clashes nearby.

On the front line of the health authorities' response to the current emergency, the Hôpital Universitaire de La Paix (HUP) is the only public hospital capable of handling a large influx of patients. Dr. Paul Junior Fontilus, Director of the establishment, had to activate the hospital's emergency plan to deal with the influx of patients with serious injuries.

Should be noted that the HUP is supported by the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO Haiti) which has already provided the HUP with several tons of medical products, enough to ensure the medical care of emergency and the operation of other services for the months to come. PAHO/WHO also provides fuel to supply the hospital's generators with electricity. These actions were carried out thanks to the financial support of the Humanitarian Aid Service of the European Commission (ECHO).

A new ambulatory emergency room, a key element of the response "Since its inauguration [in December 2022], and even more so during the current crisis, this new wing of the hospital has been instrumental in improving our capacity for patient management. The ambulatory emergency room allows us to efficiently triage and stabilize patients, provide cast and wound care and monitor the condition those who need it in our observation room," explains Dr. Fontilus.

Although its team has been reinforced with medical staff from the now-closed HUEH, HUP still faces a human resources challenge. Indeed, many of its employees are often unable to report to work in a context of tense insecurity in several areas of the capital, indicates PAHO/WHO

HL/ HaitiLibre