Towards strengthening Haiti's medical emergency system: a partnership between CAN and India
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince
· 2 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 __ An official meeting was held on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, between Advisor-President, Dr. Louis Gérald Gilles, and the Honorary Consul of India in Haiti, Mr. Eddy Handall, regarding the need to strengthen medical emergency services in Haiti, reported the communication department of the National Ambulance Center (CAN).
Held in the presence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Harry Éloi, and the Director General, Me Renand Aristide of CAN, the discussions demonstrated the willingness of the current government to open Haiti to ambitious and structuring health cooperation with the Indian government.
«What we are looking for today are solid partnerships, based on mutual respect, complementarity, and effectiveness,» declared the Advisor-President in his opening remarks. Dr. Louis Gerald Gilles hopes that the country will transform its weaknesses into opportunities, making the medical emergency sector one of the pillars of a healthcare system worthy of the name.
For his part, the Director General of CAN, Me Renand Aristide, highlighted the institution's current constraints, particularly in terms of logistics, human resources, and territorial coverage. «This potential partnership with the Republic of India represents a real opportunity to strengthen our technical capacities, further professionalize our teams, and improve response times on the ground,» he emphasized.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of CAN expressed his full support for the initiative to justify his involvement in this process: «The presence of all Board members at this meeting reflects our unity and our commitment to an ambitious but necessary reform of our emergency structures,» declared Dr. Harry Éloi.
Willing to support the process, Honorary Consul Eddy Handall discussed technical avenues to explore, including the provision of specialized medical equipment, continuous training of responders, transfer of expertise, and the development of mobile emergency units inspired by the Indian model.
Follow-up meetings are already scheduled in the coming weeks to lay the groundwork for a cooperation agreement. If it materializes, this collaboration could mark a turning point in the structuring of an emergency care system in Haiti capable of meeting current challenges.
