Medical students in Haiti march to demand reopening of main public hospital as police open fire
Summary
Medical students in Haiti held a peaceful protest to demand the reopening of the main public hospital where they need to train. During the protest, police fired live bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd, injuring at least one student. The hospital has been closed due to gang violence since 2024, severely affecting healthcare in the country.Key Facts
- Dozens of medical students marched in Port-au-Prince demanding the reopening of Haiti’s largest public hospital, the University Hospital of Haiti (General Hospital).
- Police blocked the protest route and fired live bullets and tear gas to disperse the students, injuring one student in the arm.
- The hospital closed in 2024 because of gang violence and has remained shut since a failed reopening attempt that ended with gunfire and deaths.
- Gang leader Johnson “Izo” André claimed responsibility for attacks that prevented the hospital’s reopening.
- About 70% of public health facilities in Haiti were closed last year due to gang violence, leaving 4.4 million people without health care.
- Medical students say they need the hospital open to complete their training and provide care to the Haitian people.
- A recent protest was also broken up by police using tear gas, showing ongoing tensions around the hospital’s closure.
- The government removed the health minister after the violent reopening attempt in 2024.
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