Repairing skin: A return to life for burn victims in Haiti

"We just wanted to get some gas"

The explosion occurred on September 14, 2024, killing more than 15 people and injuring about 40. “That day, another driver came to tell me that a tanker truck was leaking,” said Stanley, one of the survivors. “I took my motorcycle and drove off, like many others. We just wanted to get some gas.”

Jordan, Stanley, and another survivor, Emmanuel, were standing less than 10 feet from the truck when the explosion violently threw them. “I rolled on the ground to put out the flames,” said Emmanuel. “It seemed to last forever. The pain was unbearable. I saw other men running, their bodies blackened, screaming. I knew right away that I was badly burned.”

Jordan had simply been trying to get fuel to go about his day and work: “With this fuel, I could have traveled more, worked more, earned a little more to feed my family.” 

A treatment journey fraught with pitfalls

Serious burns are common in Haiti, particularly those caused by domestic accidents and fires sparked by violent fighting that has gripped the capital, Port-au-Prince, for years, involving armed groups, national authorities, and civil self-defense groups.

In Haiti, the facilities capable of treating major burn patients are almost nonexistent. Care is further limited by the growing insecurity in Port-au-Prince that often blocks roads and disrupts the supply of medicines, medical equipment, and fuel. At the same time, there is a shortage of health care professionals, particularly specialists, due to an exodus of health care workers from Haiti.

Many patients in Haiti have to travel long distances to access treatment. “My neighbor took us to Sainte Thérèse Hospital, but they couldn’t do anything,” said Emmanuel. “Then we went to Beraccat Hospital, where they gave me serum and applied some bandages, but it wasn't enough. Then Saint Boniface Hospital, then another—all in a single day. Finally, I was airlifted to the MSF hospital in Tabarre.”

Initially, MSF opened a burns unit at Drouillard Hospital, before transferring the unit to Tabarre Trauma Hospital in 2021 due to safety concerns. Today, the facility has 30 beds dedicated to burn patients and offers comprehensive care including reconstructive surgery, skin grafts, post-operative care, physiotherapy, 3D-printed compression masks, and mental health support. In 2024, more than 400 people with burns were treated there.

“When I arrived, I couldn't even move an arm,” Emmanuel recalled of the day of the explosion. “Today, I can walk again.”

Emmanuel‘s treatment included medication, grafts, bandages, antibiotics, physiotherapy, and psychological support. “All of this is out of reach for someone like me.”

Patients isolated by insecurity in Haiti

The duration of treatment for burn patients is particularly long, which can present challenges. Due to the insecurity in Haiti, many patients find themselves isolated in the hospital, unable to see their loved ones. Road blockades by armed groups limit access to the capital, where violent clashes are taking place.

After months in the hospital, Stanley returned to Miragoâne in March to see his family, equipped with his 3D compression mask. “It had been more than five months since I had seen them because of the insecurity,” he explained. “The journey is too risky, too expensive. When [my mother] saw me, she was shocked. But when she saw my face regain color with the mask, she regained hope. So did I.”