The looting of a vital aid container at the Port-au-Prince port in Haiti has worsened the country’s existing political and humanitarian crisis. UNICEF’s container, packed with essential maternal, neonatal, and child survival supplies, including life-saving equipment, was targeted by armed gangs.
The critical situation has led to alarming levels of hunger and life-threatening malnutrition in parts of the capital. Amidst the chaos, UNICEF’s representative in Haiti, Bruno Maes, stressed the immediate need to stop the looting of crucial supplies for supporting vulnerable children during this dire time.
The lack of basic healthcare and nutrition for three out of four women in Port-au-Prince has further compounded the crisis, forcing some hospitals to shut down due to safety concerns, leaving only two surgical facilities operational.
Moreover, Haiti’s hospitals are grappling with severe shortages of electricity, fuel, and medical supplies, with six out of ten facilities unable to operate.
In response to the escalating crisis, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has initiated a 24-hour control room to closely monitor the situation and extend support and information to Indian nationals in Haiti.
