Breast Cancer: A Renewed Commitment, But a Colossal Challenge
, October 18, 2025 — On the occasion of World Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Council-President Louis Gérald Gilles participated, on Thursday, October 16, in an official ceremony organized at the premises of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), in Maïs Gâté...
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince · · 3 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
Port-au-Prince, October 18, 2025 — On the occasion of World Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Council-President Louis Gérald Gilles participated, on Thursday, October 16, in an official ceremony organized at the premises of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), in Maïs Gâté.
The event took place in the presence of Dr. Oscar Barreneche, PAHO/WHO representative in Haiti, as well as several members of the diplomatic corps, reflecting the international scope of the cause.
In a country where access to healthcare remains unequal and often out of reach for the most vulnerable, this commemoration was not just a symbolic ritual: it aimed to be a moment of commitment, awareness, and a promise of action. Breast Cancer, a Harsh Reality in Haiti Breast cancer remains one of the greatest public health scourges in Haiti. According to international organizations' estimates, it is among the leading causes of female mortality in the country, often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to a lack of adequate equipment, early screening, and continuous awareness.
Behind these figures are lives: those of mothers, sisters, teachers, traders, and peasant women, whose silent pain reveals the fractures in the Haitian health system. The State Aims to Be Present: Promise of a National Oncology Center In his address, Council-President Louis Gérald Gilles praised the MSPP's commitment to the fight against cancer, emphasizing the central role of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) in making health a true national priority. He announced a hopeful project: the construction of a national oncology center in the city of Les Cayes, with work expected to begin before February 7, 2026. Land acquisition is planned within a month, marking the first step of an ambitious undertaking intended to address a long-neglected urgency. An oncology center in the South – a region often marginalized in the distribution of health infrastructure – could become a symbol of territorial equity and a breath of hope for thousands of families currently forced to travel to Port-au-Prince, or even abroad, to access treatment. The initiative is part of a broader framework of cooperation between the CPT, the MSPP, and international partners, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Louis Gérald Gilles highlighted the government's desire to equip each of the ten departments with a chemotherapy service, a bold measure in a country where many hospitals still lack basic equipment. But beyond the promises, the question remains: does Haiti have the means to support this ambition?
Because building a center is one thing; ensuring its sustainable operation is another. This requires investment in medical staff training, equipment maintenance, regular supply of anti-cancer drugs, and above all, a public health policy based on prevention. Between Pain and Hope: The Human Face of the Fight In the testimonies gathered on this date, a symbol of a great fight against breast cancer, some women recounted their journey with the disease, navigating fear, loneliness, and courage. Tasha, one of them, a breast cancer survivor, confided: “The hardest part wasn't the treatment; it was the silence. In Haiti, we don't talk enough about cancer. We're afraid of the word; we're ashamed of the disease.” These words remind us that the fight against breast cancer is not only waged in hospital rooms but also in mindsets. It is a cultural, educational, and psychological battle as much as it is medical. The Council-President's presence at this ceremony therefore held strong symbolic significance: that of a state attempting to rekindle the flame of a crumbling public health system, in a context of economic crisis and chronic instability. If the promises materialize, the oncology center in Les Cayes could become a collective victory against fate. But if they remain unfulfilled, this day of October 16, 2025, will be just another memory in the long register of broken promises. For now, hope persists – that of a country where every woman, wherever she lives, can face the disease with dignity, support, and adequate care.
In a country where access to healthcare remains unequal and often out of reach for the most vulnerable, this commemoration was not just a symbolic ritual: it aimed to be a moment of commitment, awareness, and a promise of action. Breast Cancer, a Harsh Reality in Haiti Breast cancer remains one of the greatest public health scourges in Haiti. According to international organizations' estimates, it is among the leading causes of female mortality in the country, often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to a lack of adequate equipment, early screening, and continuous awareness.
Behind these figures are lives: those of mothers, sisters, teachers, traders, and peasant women, whose silent pain reveals the fractures in the Haitian health system. The State Aims to Be Present: Promise of a National Oncology Center In his address, Council-President Louis Gérald Gilles praised the MSPP's commitment to the fight against cancer, emphasizing the central role of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) in making health a true national priority. He announced a hopeful project: the construction of a national oncology center in the city of Les Cayes, with work expected to begin before February 7, 2026. Land acquisition is planned within a month, marking the first step of an ambitious undertaking intended to address a long-neglected urgency. An oncology center in the South – a region often marginalized in the distribution of health infrastructure – could become a symbol of territorial equity and a breath of hope for thousands of families currently forced to travel to Port-au-Prince, or even abroad, to access treatment. The initiative is part of a broader framework of cooperation between the CPT, the MSPP, and international partners, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Louis Gérald Gilles highlighted the government's desire to equip each of the ten departments with a chemotherapy service, a bold measure in a country where many hospitals still lack basic equipment. But beyond the promises, the question remains: does Haiti have the means to support this ambition?
Because building a center is one thing; ensuring its sustainable operation is another. This requires investment in medical staff training, equipment maintenance, regular supply of anti-cancer drugs, and above all, a public health policy based on prevention. Between Pain and Hope: The Human Face of the Fight In the testimonies gathered on this date, a symbol of a great fight against breast cancer, some women recounted their journey with the disease, navigating fear, loneliness, and courage. Tasha, one of them, a breast cancer survivor, confided: “The hardest part wasn't the treatment; it was the silence. In Haiti, we don't talk enough about cancer. We're afraid of the word; we're ashamed of the disease.” These words remind us that the fight against breast cancer is not only waged in hospital rooms but also in mindsets. It is a cultural, educational, and psychological battle as much as it is medical. The Council-President's presence at this ceremony therefore held strong symbolic significance: that of a state attempting to rekindle the flame of a crumbling public health system, in a context of economic crisis and chronic instability. If the promises materialize, the oncology center in Les Cayes could become a collective victory against fate. But if they remain unfulfilled, this day of October 16, 2025, will be just another memory in the long register of broken promises. For now, hope persists – that of a country where every woman, wherever she lives, can face the disease with dignity, support, and adequate care.
