Overview:
Dr. Duckenson Lorthé Blema, minister of public health and population (MSPP), was dismissed following a deadly attack by the “Viv Ansanm” gang during the attempted reopening of the State University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH) on Dec. 24. The attack left two journalists and a police officer dead and injured seven others.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti’s minister of public health and population, Dr. Duckenson Lorthé Blema, was dismissed on Dec.27 after a gang attack during the attempted reopening of the State University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH) left two journalists and a police officer dead. The dismissal followed growing outrage from media organizations, press freedom advocates, and civil society groups demanding swift government action to hold those responsible accountable.
A decree published on Dec. 26, and signed by the Presidential Transition Council and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé officially confirmed the dismissal. The decree accused Blema of failing to coordinate security measures, leaving participants at the ceremony vulnerable. Patrick Pélissier, minister of justice and public security, has assumed the role on an interim basis.
The Dec.24 attack marked yet another escalation of Haiti’s gang crisis, which has shuttered hospitals, schools, and businesses across Port-au-Prince. HUEH, the country’s largest hospital, has been closed since February, one of more than 20 healthcare facilities forced to suspend operations, due to gang violence. Once a beacon of health in the neighborhood, the hospital has been reduced to a battleground.
Call for justice and accountability
The incident has sparked outrage among media organizations, press freedom advocates, and civil society groups, who are demanding accountability for the deaths of journalists Mackendy Natoux and Jimmy Jean, as well as the police officer.
The National Network of Online Media (RENAMEL) and the Collective of Online Media (CMEL) condemned the attack, calling it an assault on press freedom and a glaring example of the government’s negligence.
“I counted that the thugs fired for 49 seconds without interruption. At the start of the shooting, I saw a journalist near the barrier collapse after being hit, while two other journalists were lying in the courtyard.”
Arnold Junior Pierre, a journalist at Radio Galaxie and a contributor to The Haitian Times.
“The Haitian authorities, particularly the Ministry of Public Health, are directly responsible for this unacceptable failure,” CMEL officials said in a statement. “Although the media was officially invited, no security measures were implemented, despite the well-documented threat posed by gangs in the area.”
CMEL stated that the gang coalition “Viv Ansanm” is responsible for the attack, further intensifying calls for the government to dismantle armed groups operating with impunity.
International organizations, including the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE_CIDH), have urged Haitian authorities to prioritize investigations and bring those responsible to justice.
“Protecting press freedom is essential in the context of the crisis Haiti is facing,” RELE_CIDH stated on its X account.
Chaos at the General Hospital reopening
The neighborhoods around the capital’s main public hospital commonly known as Lopital Jeneral were already considered a no-go zone due to gang control of the area and frequent gunfire. On Dec. 24, the reopening ceremony began around 11 a.m., with journalists gathering in anticipation as public health ministry officials were expected to arrive.
“When I arrived, I saw a PNH armored vehicle near the National Bureau of Ethnology,” said Arnold Junior Pierre, a journalist for Radio Galaxie who also contributes to The Haïtian Times. “It seemed like a warning signal, but we couldn’t decipher its meaning.”
Moments later, gang members opened fire, sending journalists and staff scrambling for cover. Videos captured the chaos as journalists hid under containers and examination tables while SOS messages flooded social media.
“I counted 49 seconds of uninterrupted gunfire,” Pierre recalled. “I saw a journalist collapse near the barrier, and others lying in the courtyard, injured.”
Photos and videos showed harrowing scenes of wounded journalists bleeding on the ground, one with his jaw shattered by gunfire. Among the victims were journalists Natoux and Jean, whose deaths have drawn widespread condemnation.
Efforts to reopen the hospital have repeatedly failed due to gang control of the area. A previous attempt in March, led by former prime minister, Garry Conille, ended with Conille narrowly escaping gang gunfire. Dr. Blema’s initiative to replicate the reopening of HUEH highlights the power struggle between the government and the gang. According to several sources familiar with the situation, Dr. Blema’s latest attempt faltered because of his unresolved commitments, including payments to gang members to ensure a peaceful reopening.
Government response and promises
In the wake of the attack, a government delegation, led by Axène Joseph, chief of staff of the Prime Minister, visited the injured victims at the La Paix University Hospital, pledging financial and psychological support in a statement.
“Impunity has no place in a society that aspires to justice and peace,” said Prime Minister Fils-Aimé. “Law enforcement, with the support of judicial institutions, has been formally instructed to relentlessly pursue the criminals responsible for this tragedy.”
The government has also renewed its broader commitment to restoring order in Haïti, though past promises have yielded no progress. For many, the attack represents a grim reminder of the country’s worsening security crisis.
