PORT-AU-PRINCE — Dozens of Haitian medical students marched from their university to the prime minister's office in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday to demand the relocation and reopening of the State University Hospital. Riot police stopped the students near the prime minister's office.

Local media reported that a student was shot in the arm by police during Wednesday's protest. Students were tear-gassed during an earlier protest.

The State University Hospital, also known as the General Hospital, is located in the city center of Port-au-Prince. It has been closed since 2024 following a gang attack and has not been able to operate due to ongoing attacks in the surrounding area, which is under the control of armed groups.

Benjamin Marc Antelhomme, a medical student, stated that this was the third time students had protested to call on the government to relocate the teaching hospital. "As students, we rely on it for our clinical rotations. All other institutions that were located in the lower part of the city have already been relocated," Antelhomme said. Rachel Louis, another medical student, said, "We should be at the hospital caring for patients. It is outrageous that, when we ask for a hospital, they send people to shoot at us."

The government attempted to reopen the State University Hospital on December 24, 2024. During this event, suspected gang members opened fire, resulting in the deaths of a police officer and two reporters. Seven people were also injured. The hospital has remained closed since that December 24, 2024, attack. Johnson "Izo" André, a gang leader part of the Viv Ansanm gang coalition, claimed responsibility for the December 24 attack in a video posted on social media. He stated that the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital's reopening. The Viv Ansanm gang coalition controls an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince. The government removed Haiti's health minister from his post days after the December 24, 2024 attack.