UN: Haiti gang violence causing sporadic distribution of food, water, medical supplies

UN humanitarians and their partners in Haiti said on Tuesday gang violence and roadblocks are causing erratic aid deliveries and disruption to the distribution of medical supplies.

The World Food Program (WFP) has announced a milestone achievement for March, collaborating with local partners to distribute a record-breaking 18,500 hot meals to displaced individuals. This accomplishment stands in stark contrast to the situation just days prior, from March 20 to 22, when WFP and its partners encountered difficulties reaching the intended 18,000 people due to security concerns.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the distribution of medicine and medical supplies is a critical need, including the distribution of supplies to respond to cholera. It seeks to maintain disease outbreak monitoring sites for displaced people across the capital, Port-au-Prince.

OCHA reported that there were 10 suspected cases of cholera recorded within a span of 48 hours at the Lycee Marie Jeanne displacement site. Additionally, it mentioned that Haiti's National Ambulance Center, which had been temporarily closed last week due to gang activity, has now resumed its services.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced that so far this month, working with partners, it was able to distribute 1.7 million liters of water to more than 15,000 people in the capital.

UNICEF's Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that violence and instability have consequences far beyond the risk of the violence itself, as the current context is creating a child health and nutrition crisis that could cost the lives of countless children. She added that thousands of children are on the brink, with life-saving supplies ready to be delivered in areas once the violence ends and roads and hospitals reopen.