Haiti’s unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis, 15 years after the 2010 earthquake

Published 13th January 2025

On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake killed more than 280,000 people, injured 300,000 and destroyed millions of homes along with nearly 60% of Haiti’s healthcare infrastructure. Doctors of the World now reviews our efforts to response to the emergency in the country and warns of a humanitarian crisis that could be as catastrophic as what was experienced with the earthquake and is progressively worsening.

Haiti: A forgotten crisis and a healthcare system in a fragile state

Haiti is facing a downward spiral of unabated violence 15 years after the earthquake hit, compounded by multiple health, humanitarian and security challenges that are plaguing the country. According to the United Nations (UN), more than 5,600 people were killed in 2024 as the result of a surge in violence, an increase of more than 1,000 people when compared to 2023.

“The January 2010 earthquake created havoc with a healthcare system that was already not optimal. And institutions have found themselves under attack over the past two years and simply cannot function properly. A large part of the populace has difficulty accessing health care,” according to Doctors of the World’s medical coordinator in Haiti.

The public system is chronically underfunded, with a shortage of resources and a critical lack of staff. Currently, only 37% of healthcare facilities in Port-au-Prince are fully operational; according to the UN, those that are fully operational remain difficult to access due to insecurity. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) believes more than 40,000 healthcare workers have fled the country due to the violence. Most private facilities have shuttered, and many people cannot afford to access the services of those that remain. Staff, patients and healthcare facilities are being targeted, a situation that Doctors of the World strongly condemns. The international community’s response continues to be insufficient to properly deal with the situation’s urgency and the collapse of the healthcare system.

“When someone experiences knee pain, for instance, the pain tends to be sharp initially, so it immediately grabs a person’s attention. This individual will seek prompt care to relieve their suffering. But if the pain persists for an extended period, the person will learn to live with the pain; it becomes ‘the norm,’ and it’s no longer front and centre. This is what’s happening with Haiti,” said Doctors of the World’s medical coordinator in Haiti.

The crisis in Haiti continues to worsen day by day. 5.5 million people require humanitarian aid.

“Our goal is to have the healthcare system become capable of functioning on its own, and that’s why we are offering our support. When we take stock of what we’ve accomplished this far, we know it is important to continue. Haitians are resilient: We witnessed that firsthand starting January 12, 2010, when even those who’d lost everything still took the time to help others, continued to live their lives,” recounted Doctors of the World’s medical coordinator in Haiti.

Trusted relationships in emergency response

Doctors of the World has been supporting healthcare services in Haiti since 1996, well before the January 12, 2010 earthquake. Being present in the community for close to 30 years enabled local teams to act quickly to meet the urgent needs of the population around the hard-hit capital city of Port-au-Prince.

“I was working as a general practitioner in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake hit, and I ended up joining Doctors of the World as part of the post-earthquake response in 2010. Long before the 2010 disaster, however, Doctors of the World was supporting healthcare services in Cité Soleil through HIV, nutrition, and maternal and child healthcare programs, while also conducting community awareness activities. Doctors of the World’s close relationship with the community facilitated the rapid deployment of mobile clinics, benefiting not only displaced people who were living in the camps but also residents of adjacent neighbourhoods who were often deprived of healthcare access even before the earthquake hit,” said Doctors of the World’s medical coordinator in Haiti.

Following the January 12, 2010 earthquake, Doctors of the World deployed a semi-permanent clinic in a displaced persons camp, as well as mobile clinics serving eight camps and several districts in Cité Soleil. In addition to medical care, displaced people received mental healthcare support to address the trauma incurred by the disaster. Emergency interventions and reconstruction efforts continued until 2012, at which point the focus shifted to strengthening existing healthcare centres (done in collaboration with public institutions, healthcare authorities and local communities).

Our fight against the cholera epidemic

A cholera outbreak broke out along Haiti’s Artibonite River in October 2010. This serious intestinal infection originated with Nepalese soldiers of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). According to estimates from Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), 9,792 Haitians died between 2010 and 2019 as a result of cholera. Doctors of the World – in collaboration with local authorities and other partners, and thanks to its community presence – has fought against the spread of the disease for 10 years, namely by creating 19 oral rehydration stations; a treatment centre in Cité Soleil; and deploying Mobile Rapid Intervention Teams (EMIRA), ultimately treating nearly 10,000 people and raising awareness among more than 141,000 individuals. Doctors of the World’s response to the epidemic ultimately extended to Port-au-Prince’s entire metropolitan region as well as to the Nord-Ouest department. During an official ceremony marking the elimination of cholera in Haiti in 2022, Doctors of the World’s efforts were praised by the prime minister and the Minister of Public Health and Population.

A cholera outbreak re-emerged in Haiti in October 2022. This came after nearly three years without any cases being reported. Cholera spread quickly across the country. Insecurity, fuel shortages and difficulties in accessing healthcare worsened the situation and led to a resurgence in six of Haiti’s departments. Although the outbreak is now under control, the current environment remains conducive to the spread of cholera and other diseases like dengue, tuberculosis, measles and polio, particularly in areas that house displaced people. Doctors of the World reaffirmed its commitment by quickly responding to the needs of affected communities.

Doctors of the World in Haiti

Doctors of the World has been working in Haiti for close to 30 years, providing healthcare, sexual and reproductive health support, mental health and protection, as well as training health workers and advocating for infrastructure improvements in the healthcare system. In collaboration with multi-skilled community healthcare officers (ASCPs), healthcare authorities and partners, Doctors of the World responds to the healthcare needs of local communities and facilitates access to care, despite a complex security context.