Cite Soleil (June 22, 2015)

 

MINUSTAH in Cite Soleil, June 22, 2015 (Photo by John Carroll)

Pediatric clinic in the back part of Soleil today was the same as usual. Hundreds of babies and moms showed up by 7 AM with the same old stories and problems. However, in the middle of the usual fever, worms, diarrhea, and skin diseases are quite a few real sick kids too. Some are even on the verge of death due to “stupid diseases and stupid conditions” that exist in the slum. St. Catherine’s Hospital, run by the Haitian government, is across the street from the clinic but remains too expensive (an outpatient visit costs $1 US) for most people in the slum and offers very little even if the patients could afford it. We send our sickest kids to a pediatric hospital elsewhere in Port-au-Prince.

A motorcycle chauffeur picks me up each morning and takes me home in the afternoon. He is very prompt and is a good driver through the crazy streets of Port (even though I have to tell him to slow down now and then).

As we were coursing out the main drag of Soleil this afternoon, just after we crossed Route 9, two white UN (MINUSTAH) tanks were stopped right in front of us. The soldiers in the tanks had their weapons drawn and pointed over the edge of the tanks just like the bad old days of 2005-06-07. There were also MINUSTAH soldiers on foot on the side walk right next to us. Some of their faces were covered and overall they looked pretty tense. We edged around the tanks fairly quickly and kept going the last couple of blocks out of Soleil. (We were asked for money as usual by street guys as we stopped on Route National #1 to leave Soleil. But as usual we deferred their request.)

On Sunday June 14 a supposed gang leader in Soleil nicknamed “Te Quiero” was allegedly killed by MINUSTAH forces. The story is here and translated into English. Many of Soleil’s residents are very angry at MINUSTAH about his killing and marched through the slum last Wednesday in protest.

With governmental elections coming up in several months no one knows what will happen in Soleil. But for many reasons it sure seems “hot” in Soleil right now.

MINUSTAH in Soleil, June 22, 2015 (Photo by John Carroll)

John A. Carroll, MD
www.haitianhearts.org