On Monday March 31, armed gangs broke into the town of Mirebalais, Haiti, attacking and setting fire to several buildings before security forces arrived.
Although the University Hospital of Mirebalais (HUM) has not been directly attacked to date, the violence continues and continues to pose an unacceptable risk to our patients and staff.
The safety and well-being of our teams and patients is our top priority. That’s why, on Wednesday April 2, we began the evacuation of HUM patients and staff, and have temporarily suspended hospital services as long as the ongoing attacks on the town of Mirebalais continue to threaten the safety of those on site.
For over ten years, whenever illness or disaster has struck Haiti, HUM has stood proudly as a place of access to free, quality care for all, regardless of income or origin. Despite this period of extreme instability, the tenacity of our colleagues has been a beacon of hope for the Haitian people, and a concrete expression of our commitment to being an antidote to despair.
“While these brutal attacks have forced us to temporarily suspend services at HUM due to the unacceptable risk they pose, we will reopen the hospital as soon as it is safe to do so,” said Dr. Sheila Davis, Executive Director of Partners In Health. “PIH was born in Haiti, and our core values of solidarity and accompaniment stem from our work in Haitian communities. Regardless of the scale of the current challenges, our Haitian colleagues have never given in, nor sunk into pessimism. I am deeply proud to say that our organization will continue to stand by the Haitian people today, tomorrow, and long into the future.”
“This hospital has stood firm through some of Haiti’s most difficult times. While current threats have forced us to temporarily suspend services, our commitment remains intact. We will return stronger and ready to care for our people as soon as security conditions allow,” said Dr Wesler Lambert, Executive Director of Zanmi Lasante. “In the meantime, PIH/ZL are continuing their clinical activities in other network facilities, where patients have been transferred and staff reassigned.”
HUM represents a veritable lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Haitian men and women, offering essential medical care, including emergency services, maternal care, treatment of infectious diseases, as well as surgical interventions. PIH continues to closely monitor developments and is working closely with Zanmi Lasante’s executive management, local authorities and partners to plan the resumption of activities at HUM and continue the mission of providing life-saving care to those most in need across the country.
PIH Statement on Violence in Mirebalais
On Monday, March 31, armed gangs stormed into Mirebalais, Haiti, and attacked and set fire to buildings throughout the town before security forces arrived. While Partners In Health-supported Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM) has not been attacked at this time, the violence is ongoing and continues to present an unacceptable risk for our patients and staff.
The safety and well-being of both staff and patients is our highest priority, which is why on Wednesday, April 2 we began evacuating patients and staff from HUM and have temporarily suspended services at the hospital until the safety of staff and patients is no longer threatened by the ongoing attacks against the town of Mirebalais.
For the past decade, whenever someone has fallen sick or a disaster has struck Haiti, HUM has proudly stood as a place where anyone, no matter their background or income, could get access to the free, high-quality health care that they deserve. The tenacity of our colleagues throughout this incredibly challenging period has been a beacon of hope for the people of Haiti and served as the physical manifestation of our organization’s commitment to serving as an antidote to despair.
“While these brutal attacks have forced us to pause services at HUM due to the unacceptable risk they pose for our staff and patients, we will reopen the hospital as soon as it is safe to do so,” said Dr. Sheila Davis, CEO of Partners In Health. “PIH began in Haiti, and our core values of solidarity and accompaniment emerged from our work with Haitian communities. No matter how daunting the challenges of this particular moment have seemed, our Haitian colleagues have never wavered or indulged in the luxury of pessimism, and I couldn’t be more proud to say that our organization will continue to stand with the people of Haiti today, tomorrow, and long into the future.”
“This hospital has stood strong through many of Haiti’s hardest moments. While current threats have forced a pause in services, our commitment remains unshaken. We will return-stronger and ready to care for our people-when it is safe to do so,” said Dr. Wesler Lambert, executive director of Zanmi Lasante, as PIH is known in Haiti. “In the meantime, PIH/ZL will continue their clinical operations at other institutions in the network, where patients have been transferred and HUM staff reallocated.”
HUM is a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Haitians, providing critical medical care, including emergency services, maternal care, infectious disease treatment, and surgical interventions. PIH is continuing to closely monitor the evolving situation and working with ZL leadership, local authorities, and partners on plans to resume operations at HUM and continue to provide lifesaving care to those who need it most across Haiti.