Haiti, Safety and Public Opinion

Feb 17, 2023 | News + Updates

Our friends at Hôpital Albert Schweitzer have announced activation of their Emergency Operations Plan after an armed group descended on their town of Desjardins, breaking into homes and kidnapping victims at will. Within hours of the attack, at least 12 people had been kidnapped. The hospital has suspended non-emergent care, and are accepting only emergency patients.

Based in Haiti’s Lower Artibonite Valley, the 200-bed Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti is the only 24/7 full-service hospital serving a population roughly the size of Anaheim, California — more than 350,000 people.

Intervention is needed to help re-establish safety, and according to the poll conducting by Haiti Health Network, Haiti’s people are asking for help.

A message from Mitch Albom

Friends, Haiti is falling into utter chaos. When hospitals are getting attacked, things can’t get much worse. Please read this, and help if you can. And send the message, however possible, to our leaders, that Haiti needs intervention now from the international community, before something beyond tragic happens. See the poll that shows an overwhelming number of Haitian citizens want outside help. When doctors and nurses are fleeing, we must do something. Thank you for your kind consideration.

Download the poll results as a pdf.

Septemer 30 - October 14, 2022: Haiti Health Network Public Opinion Poll Many international parties are currently speaking for Haitians and contrasting opinions are being presented regarding how Haitians believe the current crisis should be resolved. In response to the mixed messaging of what Haitians want we created an anonymous public opinion poll to evaluate a better understanding of what those in our contact network see regarding the capabilities of the Haitian National Police to provide public security at this time, to gage support of an international intervention and to hear ideas on how individuals would remedy the current situation given the chance. Methodology: The anonymous online poll was shared through our contact network on social media and WhatsApp over a two week period from September 30 through October 14th, 2022. The survey was sent out in Haitian Creole and French. The results (n=104) were filtered (n=89) for IP addresses in Haiti, and each IP address could only submit one response. Despite communication difficulties throughout this time period 8/10 departments are represented in the results. We asked if it is believed that there needs to be an outside military intervention to provide adequate security and public safety at this time? - 15.9% Believe the Haitian National Police (HNP) could provide adequate security with international support (in the form of advanced training, increased weapons, armored vehicles and protective gear) - 3.4% Do not believe the HP can provide securitv nor that outside military intervention is required to provide security and public safety. - 80.7% Believe outside military intervention is required to bring adequate security and public safety. We asked those polled who they believe could bring adequate security and public safety at this time. - 15.9% HP with international support in the form of training and equipment. - 40.9% Combination of HP with support and outside military Intervention - 39.8% Outside Military Intervention - 3.4% Neither HP alone, supported or outside military intervention are the answer to the current insecurity. None of those polled believe the Haitian National Police alone can provide adequate security and public safety at this time.

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About Have Faith Haiti

Have Faith Haiti is a nonprofit organization providing safety, nourishment, education, and opportunity for Haiti’s impoverished children and orphans, and stability for staff and their families in Port-au-Prince. You can learn more here.