Sunday, April 20, 2014

Malaz Mohamed Nour UN struggles to stem Haiti Cholera Epidemic


Cholera has swept Haiti in the last few years and the United Nations’ effort to raise money needed is not enough. Clean water supply is short and clinics have run short of oral rehydration salts to treat the diarrhea. When families run out of water purification tablets, they drink from polluted source, most likely streams nearby. For the last three years in a row Haiti has reported the most cases of cholera. The United Nations has a plan to raise 5 million for vaccination purposes and another 2 billion to betterment the water sanitation infrastructure. Over 8000 people had died in Haiti since the 2010 cholera outbreak but new infections have declined. Also the number of cholera treatment center has shrunk from 120 to 40 in the country. This outbreak even spread to neighboring country and cases numbers are expected to reach 40000 as the raining season starts.

This is not a problem of epidemic, but equality and human rights. Although main causes of this cholera breakout is the unsanitary water conditions in Haiti and the weak public health and government attempts  that left the poor with little choice but to drink whatever available ,humans around the world and most specifically developed countries, represented by the United Nations, are responsible for this. The inhumane conditions in Haiti and the facts that the cost to prevent cholera and to prevent it is not costly, proves that what is happening is lack of support and attempts. Experts even say that no one should be dying of cholera. Because less than 2/3 of the population have access to cholera, poor hygienic practices and clinic are very far, number of death are high , the children have very low immunity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/world/americas/un-struggles-to-stem-haiti-cholera-epidemic.html?hpw&rref=health&_r=0

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