Supplies for Haiti's children looted
In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, armed groups have looted one of Unicef's containers at the city's main port, compromising critical health supplies for children and mothers, including resuscitators and early childhood development equipment. This incident exacerbates the already dire humanitarian crisis in Haiti, where the security situation has significantly worsened since January and led to the collapse of the healthcare system.
Over 260 humanitarian-owned containers are currently controlled by armed groups at the port, which impedes the delivery of essential supplies. Hospitals have been forced to shut down due to safety concerns, leaving only two functional surgical facilities in the capital.
With six out of ten hospitals in Haiti non-functional due to shortages of electricity, fuel, and medical supplies, the situation is particularly critical for children requiring emergency care. Unicef plans to escalate its humanitarian response, aiming to reach 650,000 children and women with primary healthcare services despite the challenges.
The organisation calls for the immediate cessation of supply looting and safe humanitarian access and emphasises the need for flexible funding to protect children and build resilient systems for the future. (pb)