Mirlande, 52, is one of the fortunate ones admitted to the emergency room of La Paix University Hospital in Delmas 33 on Tuesday, April 16. Wearing a cream blouse and a navy blue floral skirt, she sits on a bench with IV tubes inserted into her arms, receiving her first treatments. Diabetic, her eyes are deteriorating due to rising blood sugar levels. Her skin is also affected, showing blisters on her abdomen revealing ribs that testify to her thinness. According to her, her health worsened because she couldn't afford the necessary medication to manage her diabetes. "When my blood sugar level rose, since I couldn't afford to buy the medication, I reduced my food intake. That's when I became very weak, I can't walk without someone's help," she explained.

Mirlande, a former merchant, is desperate and has fallen into poverty when her house in Mariani was taken hostage by bandits. When talking about it, she bursts into tears. "I am always fleeing from one area to another. From one house to another," she says.