Medical students in Haiti march to demand reopening of main public hospital as police open fire

Medical students in Haiti march to demand reopening of main public hospital as police open fire describes a protest in Port-au-Prince pushing for the reopening of the University Hospital of Haiti, also known as the General Hospital. Dozens of medical students marched peacefully on Wednesday in white coats from their university headquarters in downtown Port-au-Prince toward the outskirts of the prime minister’s office, where anti-riot police blocked the road. During the demonstration, an Associated Press journalist reported that a policeman fired into the air to disperse the crowd as his vehicle tried to pass, then fired again and hit a student in the arm. Students said police used tear gas and live bullets, while Esdras Paul, president of the faculty medical council, condemned the violence. The hospital closed in 2024 due to gang violence, reopened briefly on Christmas Eve, and after an attack killed two reporters and injured seven; a police officer also died. The facility has remained closed, and officials estimate 70% of public health facilities were shuttered last year, affecting about 4.4 million people.