The most recent blow to one of Haiti’s biggest healthcare facilities came on February 13, 2025, when the main public hospital, which had been closed due to several gang attacks, was set on fire.
In an interview with reporters, Dr. Prince Sonson Pierre, the hospital’s general director, acknowledged the fire.
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He said that to prevent complete loss, he phoned the police to ask if they could protect the premises.
Pierre stated, “It’s very sad in a country where there’s a lack of medical services for the general hospital of Port-au-Prince to be on fire.”
Last year, the hospital had to close because it was situated in an unsafe area of the downtown district of the city that was under the influence of a gang alliance called Viv Ansanm.
After police ultimately forced the gunmen out of the region, the Haitian government said in December that the General Hospital would reopen. On Christmas Eve, it hosted a news conference that was attended by journalists, police officers, and politicians.
As the celebration began, gunmen opened fire on the hospital, claiming they had not given their approval for its reopening. The health minister was removed because of the incident, which left two journalists and a police officer dead and at least seven others wounded.
Among the most severe assaults on Haitian media in recent history was this one.
