The United Nations and humanitarian partner agencies have called Thursday for the immediate opening of a humanitarian corridor in Haiti to allow fuel to be accessed at the country’s main fuel terminal. They are deeply concerned about the serious consequences of the blocking of the Varreux Terminal on the humanitarian situation, in particular the resurgence of cholera.
The Varreux Terminal, which is Haiti’s main entry point for fuel, has been blocked by armed gangs since mid-September, causing nationwide shortages. The blocking has led to the closure of health centers, and caused the interruption of official water treatment services, private treated water production and distribution companies. Access to potable water, sanitation and health care is severely disrupted, which is essential to prevent and respond quickly to cholera.
The crisis that Haiti is going through affects the population throughout the territory and the most vulnerable people are the first to suffer from the blockage. With the deterioration of the operating conditions of many health centers and hospitals, patients suffering from chronic illness, pregnant women, children and newborns are the first to be affected by the difficulty of accessing health care.
The United Nations and humanitarian partners are particularly concerned about the precarious situation in the 36 spontaneous sites in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, which have some 21,600 displaced by recent gang violence. In some areas, access to basic services such as treated water, hygiene and sanitation is virtually cut off, reinforcing the conditions conducive to the spread of cholera.
While cholera can be fatal without immediate medical attention, the disease is preventable and treatable. With more than 52 suspected cases of cholera and 5 confirmed by health authorities, the UN and its partners say there is still time to stop the spread of the disease. The organizations recall the importance of respecting the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in establishing and maintaining access to emergency-affected populations.
More than 4.9 million people in Haiti - including 2.2 million children – are in need of humanitarian aid, many of them suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Widespread poverty, the rising cost of living, low agricultural production and expensive food imports have exacerbated existing food insecurity in Haiti. The country has been in the grips of widespread gang-driven violence for more than a year. Already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the Caribbean nation is also suffering from a severe economic crisis that has led to massive protests and looting, and now the return of cholera.
Further information
Full text: The UN and its partners in Haiti call for the creation of a humanitarian corridor, press release by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Office in Haiti, published October 6, 2022
https://binuh.unmissions.org/en/press-release-un-and-its-partners-haiti-call-creation-humanitarian-corridor