The below is a statement from Martin Schüepp, the director of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), after a visit to Haiti that concluded 8 February:
The extent of the suffering in Haiti is alarming. The situation here qualifies as the most dramatically evolving crisis in the Americas. Haitians are having to deal with multiple crises, including repetitive cycles of armed violence. The impact is devastating with a scale of humanitarian needs that we tend to see in armed conflicts.
Over 3 million people in Haiti face heightened humanitarian needs amid severe insecurity. In large parts of the capital of Port-au-Prince, the needs are critical. There’s little or no access to even the most basic necessities – food, health care and water. People’s everyday lives are affected either directly or indirectly by high levels of armed violence. Thousands of Haitians have been forced to flee their homes. There are also many invisible consequences of the violence, like its toll on people’s mental health and children missing out on an education.
Haitians have been living like this for far too long. The communities here deserve a better, safer life. While many communities in Port-au-Prince are extremely difficult to reach due to the pervasive insecurity, access is still possible and more must be done collectively to respond to both the current emergency situation and the longer-term development needs.
The ICRC in Haiti has increased its response due to the rising needs, reinforcing the services of health care providers and the work the Haitian Red Cross. We are also working alongside partners to mitigate the outbreak of cholera in vulnerable communities and 18 places of detention.
