Gang Violence Forces Doctors Without Borders to Suspend Services at Bel-Air Clinic in Haiti

Escalating armed clashes in Port-au-Prince shut down one of the last remaining medical lifelines for thousands of residents.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 9, 2026|Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) has suspended medical services at its clinic in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, citing extreme insecurity caused by ongoing gang violence and armed clashes in the area.

The decision comes as confrontations between Haitian National Police forces and armed gangs continue to intensify, making it impossible to guarantee the safety of patients, medical staff, and humanitarian workers. MSF stated that the security situation has deteriorated to a level where continued operations would place lives at unacceptable risk.

The Bel-Air clinic was the only functioning medical facility in the area, which is largely controlled by the Kraze Dife gang. Before the suspension, the clinic served thousands of patients each month, providing essential care including emergency treatment, maternal health services, and support for chronic illnesses.

Humanitarian organizations warn that the closure leaves residents with virtually no access to healthcare in a neighborhood already suffering from widespread displacement and poverty. MSF emphasized that repeated violations of humanitarian and medical neutrality have severely limited its ability to operate safely in Haiti’s capital.

Gang violence has crippled Haiti’s healthcare system, particularly in Port-au-Prince. An estimated 60 percent of health facilities in the capital are currently closed or non-operational due to insecurity. The violence has displaced more than 1.4 million people nationwide, forcing families to flee their homes amid ongoing gun battles and territorial conflicts.

The human toll remains severe. Between July and September 2022 alone, armed violence resulted in at least 1,957 casualties, according to humanitarian data, a figure that reflects the broader and ongoing crisis affecting civilians across the country.

Doctors Without Borders reiterated its commitment to providing medical assistance in Haiti but stressed that operations can only resume when minimum security conditions are restored. Aid groups continue to call for urgent measures to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access as the country’s health and security crisis deepens.

Sources

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières)

United Nations humanitarian and displacement reports

International media reporting on Haiti’s security and health crisis