Caught in the crossfire of renewed gang warfare, the Fontaine Hospital Center in Duvivier, Cité Soleil, was forced to evacuate its patients and medical staff on the night of May 10, 2026. The crisis followed a violent offensive launched by a criminal coalition involving the “Taliban,” “Chen Mechan,” and “400 Mawozo” gangs. Despite the escalating danger, medical personnel had remained at their posts until the situation became untenable on Sunday evening.
The evacuation took place under harrowing circumstances. The hospital was caring for eleven newborns in the neonatal unit—seven of whom required supplemental oxygen—and ten women in the maternity ward, including several recovering from C-sections. One woman gave birth at 11:20 PM, just as the final teams were preparing to flee; her newborn required immediate resuscitation before being handed to the family. Five of the most vulnerable infants were sent home with their parents and portable oxygen tanks, as secure transport to other facilities could not be guaranteed. Other critical cases and gunshot victims were redirected to the University Hospital La Paix and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinics.
This is not the first time the Fontaine Hospital has been silenced by violence; it previously suspended operations for several months starting in November 2023. As the only major healthcare provider in the area, its closure leaves thousands without access to emergency care, cholera treatment, or maternal health services. As the hospital emptied, hundreds of civilians were also seen fleeing their homes in the surrounding neighborhoods, highlighting the devastating humanitarian toll of the ongoing territorial conflicts.
