Haiti is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster as violence erupts in the capital, Port-au-Prince, forcing the closure of most hospitals and leaving residents vulnerable and desperate. Access to the city is now limited to helicopters, as armed groups control the roads, suffocating the 2.5 million inhabitants and waging a brutal war against police forces.

In a shocking report from one of the few remaining operational hospitals, Tabah, run by Doctors Without Borders, the dire situation is laid bare. Patients flood in with gunshot wounds, victims of a relentless wave of violence. Among them is Chrisman, whose foot hangs by a thread after she and her cousin, Jean Claude, were shot in their home during a nighttime raid. The armed groups, now controlling over 80% of Port-au-Prince, have turned the streets into a battleground, indiscriminately targeting civilians to expand their territory.

The crisis is exacerbated by the fact that over a million Haitians have already fled their homes, and the healthcare system is crumbling under the strain. With hospitals closing, the remaining medical facilities are overwhelmed, and patients face grim realities. Chrisman, facing amputation, worries about her future and her ability to work. “With my leg like this, my job is basically over for me,” she laments, highlighting the broader implications of this violence on livelihoods and stability.

Local residents are left wondering how this nightmare will end. “I can’t see how or when this is going to end,” Jean Claude states, reflecting the despair that has gripped the country. As the situation deteriorates, the world watches, and the urgent call for intervention grows louder. Time is running out for Haiti, and the need for immediate action is critical.