The fuel shortage in Haiti threatens the lives of patients – Unicef

Patients’ lives are at risk due to fuel shortages affecting some of Haiti’s major hospitals, warns the United Nations children’s agency Unicef.

Supplies have been cut off for weeks because truckers are too afraid to take on streets controlled by gangs who engage in kidnapping for ransom.

Roadblocks erected by protesters angry at the lack of security further hampered deliveries.

Local media said new protests and a strike are planned for Monday.

Unicef ​​said that due to frequent power outages, most hospitals in Haiti relied on fuel-powered generators to keep patients alive.

The agency estimates that 300 children, 45 women and 150 Covid sufferers are at risk if fuel is not delivered by Tuesday.

“No child should ever die from a power outage,” said Raoul de Torcy, UNICEF deputy representative in Haiti.

“It is frustrating to see how the increased risks of kidnappings and looting in Haiti threaten the lives of babies and mothers, just because much-needed fuel cannot be delivered to hospitals in the field due to growing insecurity,” said Raoul de Torcy. Deputy representative of UNICEF in Haiti.

An NGO reported last week that nearly 800 kidnappings have been reported in Haiti this year.

Among those still detained are 17 missionaries from the United States and Canada who were kidnapped by a gang on their way back from a visit to an orphanage.

The gang demanded a ransom of $ 1 million (£ 725,000) for the release of each of them.

Levels of insecurity in Haiti have skyrocketed as criminal gangs have taken control of ever larger areas of territory.

Gang influence grew further in the political instability that followed the assassination by mercenaries of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July.

While some gangs called for a truce following the devastating 14 August earthquake to allow humanitarian aid to reach the worst affected areas, they have since begun to extort, threaten and in some cases kidnap drivers.