Those of us here in the U.S. have been watching the news from Haiti with a mix of horror and disbelief. It’s hard to believe that the situation in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas could have deteriorated so much and so quickly. Yet, with the recent news that more than 417 people were killed in the span of 10 days due to gang violence—many who had no ties to gangs at all—it’s clear that the area surrounding Port-au-Prince is not safe and its people are struggling.
Not far away, in the various districts of Croix-des-Bouquets, including Dumay where the HAM health clinic is located, the situation is similar. For more than two years, the region has been controlled by armed gangs and is now a red zone. For those who have been to Haiti and know and love these communities, it is a bitter pill to swallow.
Recently, Dr. Jacques wrote to us to describe what it is like on the ground in Dumay for the clinic staff and community members. He shared that most businesses in the area have had to close down, and senior executives have had to flee the country due to the risk of kidnapping, or after actually having been kidnapped. Everyday people are simply trapped in their homes and neighborhoods, too fearful to venture out.
Due to these factors, the clinic has had to adapt. Dr. Jacques has:
Set up emergency services focused on victims of gun violence: In the last two months alone, the clinic has seen more than 20 gunshot wound patients. This number is huge for such a small, rural community. The new process helps Dr. Jacques and his team receive, stabilize, and manage these cases in a more systematic way.
Adding radiology services: The clinic is now offering x-ray services one day per week for clinic patients and as needed for emergencies. This service is offered in partnership with St. Luc Hospital.
24-hour coverage: The clinic staff has adapted to be available 24-hours for the increasing number of emergency cases. The staff midwives are now also helping with emergency services because fewer people are coming to the clinic for childbirth due to the instability in the region. Dr. Jacques is also available any time day or night, even when he is on vacation, to help the clinic staff arrange for specialty surgical and post-op care teams as needed.
Expanding the network of specialists: Dr. Jacques is creating a network of consultant specialists in orthopedics, surgery, and anesthesiology who are available to consult or to participate in difficult cases received at the clinic.
Dr. Jacques shared that the clinic staff are committed to providing high-level medical services to the community although they are all living under a cloud of fear due to the presence of gangsters. Clinic staff and other medical professionals are a primary target of kidnapping in Haiti, but Dr. Jacques has been able to negotiate safety for HAM staff and partners.
The significance of this cannot be overstated—in other communities near Croix-des-Bouquet, clinics have to pay off gangs to provide safety for their staff and patients, but currently HAM’s clinic in Dumay does not have to pay any “gangster tax” and its staff is not a target for the gangs.
Additionally, the partnerships Dr. Jacques has set up with other medical professionals are truly extraordinary. For example, an OB/GYN partner he has recruited typically works at a larger public hospital in Croix-des-Bouquets, but he shared that he has not been able to provide services at that hospital since April because it is not safe for him to travel there. All the essential functions at that hospital—surgery, labs, x-rays, pediatric care, OB/GYN services—are at a standstill because it is not possible for the staff to travel to and from the hospital without the threat of kidnapping or violence. However, this doctor can safely travel to the HAM clinic in Dumay and he has been providing weekly care including hysterectomies and C-sections when needed.
This is just one example of how HAM’s respected reputation and Dr. Jacques’ expertise and trustworthiness continue to benefit the Dumay area, despite significant challenges.
Dr. Jacques wrote:
It is a moral duty to continue to provide equitable care for everyone regardless of their origin, or the sectors to which they belong, even if we are worried about our safety. We continue to establish HAM’s clinic as a crucial and indispensable need for ALL members of the community. The more this is understood, the more HAM’s reputation can serve as a shield of safety for our staff, our patients, and the greater population.
We will continue to keep you updated as the situation in Haiti unfolds. In the meantime, if you’d like to make a donation in support of Dr. Jacques’ work at the clinic, you can do so here. And, if you’d like to send any words of encouragement to the HAM clinic staff, you can email those to connie@healingartmissions.org and all comments will be compiled and shared with the clinic team so they know their work is recognized, appreciated, and supported by those of us who cannot be there to work alongside them in person.
Thank you for your continued support of HAM’s efforts and for helping us navigate this challenging new reality.
Additionally, if you’d like to learn more about the impact of gangs in Haiti, we recommend the following article:
InSight Crime: G9 vs. GPEP – The Two Gang Alliances Tearing Haiti Apart