Haiti Emergency Situation Report No. 6 (as of 13 March 2024)

This report is produced by OCHA Haiti in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the humanitarian situation in Port-au-Prince following the violence that broke out on 29 February. The report mainly covers the period from 11-13 March 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

• On 13 March, the European Commission allocated €20 million (US$21.9 million) in humanitarian aid to Haiti, where unprecedented levels of gang violence are dramatically increasing humanitarian needs for civilians all across the country.

• On 11 March, the United States Government announced that it was providing $33 million in additional humanitarian funding.

• In a statement on 12 March, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that “Haiti is on the edge of a devastating hunger crisis, with humanitarian operations at risk of grinding to a halt, as rampant insecurity limits access to communities and donor funding dries up.”

• On 12 March, 8 trucks loaded with medicine and medical supplies arrived at the port of Miragouane to service more than 80 health structures in the south.

• Close to 8,200 children - 80 per cent were girls - have received psychosocial support this week.

15K People displaced in the Port-au-Prince area since 29 February

3.6M People targeted for assistance in 2024

362K internally displaced people

$340M Needed for food security in 2024

SITUATION OVERVIEW

On 12 March, the Logistics Cluster, with support from the Access Working Group, organized a boat with eight trucks loaded with medicine and medical material for the southern region that later arrived at the Miragouane port. The goods, valued at US$38 million, will service more than 80 health partners, including the Health Ministry. This is the first delivery by boat since 29 February, as violence has hampered the use of road, air and sea for aid operations.

On 12 March, WFP said its operation in Haiti was “running on fumes, with funding for hot meals about to run out in two weeks”, and that it needed donors to step up so that it can tackle the rising tide of hunger. "Haiti is one of the world's most severe food crises - 1.4 million Haitians are one step away from famine. This crisis has been largely unaddressed" said Jean-Martin Bauer, WFP Country Director in Haiti.

The Hôpital Universitaire la Paix continues to operate with the support of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). While there has been a progressive resumption of activities at the Bernard Mevs Hospital, the hospital is currently operating at 30 per cent of its normal operations. The Hôpital Université d’Etat d’Haiti (HUEH) remains closed. The St. Camille Hospital is operating at minimum capacity following an attack on the night of 9 to 10 March 2024. There has been a significant drop in the number of people injured by firearms admitted to Médecins sans frontières (MSF) hospitals and to La Paix University Hospital, with on average 1 to 2 admissions per day.

PAHO/WHO remains concerned about the continuing shortage of blood products at the National Blood Transfusion Center.

Over the past week, access constraints have been linked to the closure of the airport, schools and health facilities in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. Violence against humanitarian infrastructure includes an attack on an orphanage. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 400 access-hindering incidents have been recorded across the country, including more than 70 from 1 to 7 March. This situation is due to active violence, particularly in the communes of Carrefour, Port-au-Prince and Cité Soleil.

On 11 March, the US Government, through USAID, said it was providing $33 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Haiti. With this additional funding, USAID will support the World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF, and NGO partners to provide in-kind food assistance, nutrition support for infants and young children, essential health services, improved access to clean water, and prevention and response to gender-based violence, among other critical humanitarian activities.