In February 2024, the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) initiated an emergency mission in Haiti, responding to what the World Health Organization has described as the worst crisis in the Americas. With violence and instability ravaging Port-au-Prince, access to healthcare has become increasingly difficult for many Haitians.
ALIMA’s mobile clinics, operating from Toyota Landcruisers, set up in different locations across central Port-au-Prince each weekday. A team including doctors, nurses, midwives, and psychologists provides free basic healthcare services to up to 100 patients daily. These clinics offer a range of services from outpatient consultations to antenatal care and psychological support.
Dr. Abdoulaye Ousmane, ALIMA’s medical coordinator in Haiti, highlights the impact of their work: “We have seen 3,000 patients in the last few months. Of course we are making a difference. We feel proud,” he said in an interview with NPR.
However, the mobile clinics are just a partial solution to a much larger problem. Haiti’s healthcare system is collapsing under the weight of political instability, gang violence, and economic crisis. Nearly half the population needs humanitarian assistance, with 5 million people facing food insecurity.
The situation is particularly dire for women and children. “When one woman needs to give birth and she cannot because there is no place to give birth, it becomes something very dangerous for her — and for the children,” Ousmane explained.
Despite the challenges, ALIMA remains committed to its mission. The organization is not only providing immediate care through mobile clinics but also supporting local health authorities in responding to a cholera epidemic and offering specialized obstetric and neonatal care.
While the situation remains critical, Dr. Ousmane maintains a cautious optimism: “There is hope that maybe in the coming months or weeks, we will see change. We hope that the security situation and political situation will resolve soon,” he said in the interview with NPR.
Further Reading
Read the original story from NPR’s Goats and Soda post from September 4, 2024 by Ari Daniel: Whatever happened to … the doctors who stand by their patients in gang-ridden Haiti?
Read about ALIMA’s work in Haiti: Care has become a privilege in Haiti. ALIMA addressing health crisis in an emergency mission
Read a report from Mélanie Blond, ALIMA’s Director of Communications, about her visit to the island in June 2024: Haiti: When Churches and Schools Become Refuges for Internally Displaced Persons
And watch this video from ALIMA announcing the launch of their Haiti assistance program: