- On October 22, Reuters confirmed Haiti's cholera outbreak,
saying efforts were being made to prevent an epidemic that so far "killed
nearly 200 people and sickened more than 2,000," official reports
understating the threat.
-
- On the same day, New York Times writer Donald McNeil,
Jr. headlined, "Cholera Outbreak Kills 150 in Haiti," saying:
-
- "A cholera outbreak in a rural area of northwestern
Haiti....overwhelmed local hospitals with thousands of sick," according
to the World Health Organization. Rural Artibonite, Haiti's main rice-growing
area, 62 miles north of Port-au-Prince was struck, though cases were surfacing
elsewhere. They're now in the nation's capital where overcrowding threatens
a possible epidemic.
-
- Though normally less congested, Artibonite hosts thousands
of earthquake victims, most drinking St. Marc River water, contaminated
with raw sewage. As a result, a potential disaster there looms as in Port-au-Prince
and other parts of Haiti. Dirty water and poor sanitation are the problems,
as well as poverty, always the main cause wherever cholera strikes.
-
- St. Marc Hospital was "a horror scene," said
David Darg, director of Operation Blessing International. McNeil reported
him "describing people lying in courtyards on sheets soaked with rain
and feces, children writhing in agony and adults lying motionless, their
eyes rolled back as nurses searched for veins."
-
- Since 1985, Partners in Health (PIH) has done heroic
work in Haiti, its "flagship project," delivering care to many
thousands of impoverished, malnourished, sick people. On October 26 on
Democracy Now, PIH's Dr. Evan Lyon called the outbreak "terrifying,"
saying it's very fast-moving. Without help, adults die in 24 hours. "For
the young, for the old, for vulnerable people," it's often 12 hours.
-
- Most alarming is that "In a country where at least
70% (some say 90%) of people have no access to (clean) water or (proper)
sanitation, (they) can't protect themselves." Haitians have no experience
with the disease. "Their immune systems have no exposure, which will
help the disease spread more rapidly....So the country is terrified at
this point."
-
- On the same program, Dr. John Arbus, Deputy Director
of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said:
-
- "It's probably clear to us that this will not go
away for several years. We'll need to (stay vigilant). This front-full
surge of cases will come down, but there will probably be sporadic cases
in the future, now that the bacteria is well established in the environment."
-
- The first cases were confirmed about a week earlier.
Then cholera exploded and made headlines. It struck a prison in Mirebalais
near St. Marc where Lyon used to work. At least six deaths were reported,
another 25 confirmed ill. The prison houses about 250 inmates, at least
80% awaiting trial, not convicted of a crime. Most, in fact, are likely
innocent. Yet all of them were exposed, can't get out, are malnourished,
and get unsafe water under "horrible sanitation conditions....So people
(there) based on accusations (alone) have now been handed a death sentence,"
Lyon explained.
-
- More frightening is that "cholera will not go away
in Haiti until the underlying conditions" change, meaning poverty,
hunger, malnutrition, unsafe water, poor sanitation, densely populated
neighborhoods, and overcrowded outdoor camps for up to 1.5 million in and
around Port-au-Prince.
-
- Wherever there's poor infrastructure, "this disease
will be around....it's a very frightening time for the country," authorities
understating the danger or potential numbers already affected. It's likely
thousands more than reported, most ill, others dead or dying, even though
reports now say conditions are stabilizing.
-
- On October 25, Times writer Deborah Sontag headlined,
"Amid Cholera Outbreak in Haiti, Misery and Hope," saying:
-
- Located in St. Marc, St. Nicholas Hospital's courtyard
had, "Scores of children and adults....doubled over or stretched out
on every available surface, racked by convulsive stomach disorder or limp
with dehydration." For them, life hangs in the balance. Most treated
in time pull through, Medical News Today's Christian Nordqvist saying it's
done "with cheap and simple antibiotics, fluids and oral rehydration
solution." Otherwise, death is painful and likely.
-
- "Many people in our neighborhood have died of diarrhea
and vomiting," said Gerda Pierre, her son, aged four, stricken with
the disease like many others. Through October 31, the reported death toll
was 337 with over 4,000 confirmed ill, mostly in central and northern Haiti,
though small outbreaks in Port-au-Prince are alarming. UN and local health
officials warned of a potential epidemic, putting "tens of thousands"
or more at risk.
-
- So far, only scattered Port-au-Prince cases have been
reported that could spread uncontrollably if not checked. Worrisome, however,
is whether greater numbers aren't known or have been unreported, as well
as outbreaks in other areas.
-
- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) calls cholera
an intestinal infection caused by "toxigenic Vibrio cholerae, group
O-1 or O-139." It results from natural or man-made disasters, resulting
in overcrowding; unsafe water; poor sanitation, including improper elimination
of human waste; and contaminated food. Symptoms include uncontrollable
diarrhea, with or without vomiting, producing dehydration and early death
if not treated.
-
- A Brief History of Cholera
-
- Since first emerging over 200 years ago in Calcutta,
India, it's killed millions. From 1817 - 1823, it spread from India to
Southeast and Central Asia, the Middle East and Russia, ravaging areas
struck.
-
- From 1826 - 1837, a cholera epidemic struck England and
Western Europe, causing many thousands of deaths. It then spread to America,
Canada, Mexico, Guyana and Cuba. In January 1991, Vibrio cholerae O-1 hit
an area of coastal Peru. By 2000, it reached other regional countries,
while America, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica,
French Guiana, Paraguay, Panama, and Suriname remained cholera free. Under
good health conditions, it's entirely preventable. For decades, Haiti was
spared. Now an epidemic threatens.
-
- Monitoring the situation, PAHO said suspected cases are
in Haiti's Northern and Southern areas, as well as confirmed ones in Gonaives,
Haiti's third largest city. Twenty or more cases in Port-au-Prince are
being investigated. Likely there are many more unknown or unreported.
-
- A Final Comment
-
- An earlier article explained that Haiti is no stranger
to adversity and anguish, after over 500 years of oppression, slavery,
despotism, colonialism, reparations, embargoes, sanctions, deep poverty,
starvation, disease, unrepayable debt, and calamities like destructive
hurricanes, the January earthquake, and now cholera.
-
- It's an old story for Haitians, including US domination
for nearly two centuries, bringing misery, not aid to needy people, a story
that repeated in January that continues. Instead of delivering massive
amounts of food, water, medical care, shelter, and immediate steps to clear
rubble and rebuild, in came Marines and paratroupers, occupying the country
repressively with UN Blue Helmets, never there for peace.
-
- Haiti was reopened for business, its people to be exploited,
not helped. Billions of dollars of pledged or delivered aid is earmarked
for development, not essentials to those in need under crisis conditions.
For example, Washington promised over $1.1 billion. It's yet to be delivered,
and whatever comes will go to profiteering NGOs, as well as for corporate
ventures, upscale housing, and resource development, including projects
George Bush and Bill Clinton are promoting.
-
- They include sweeping privatizations, tourism ventures,
port development, free trade zones, deregulatory freedom creating worker
hell, and eventually exploiting Haiti's riches, principally its oil, believed
to be abundant.
-
- For America, the West, Haiti's oligarchs and its government,
homeless, malnourished, mistreated, and sick Haitians are of no concern,
including those affected by cholera. Only predatory imperial interests
matter, preying on the many for the few, millions of Haitians easy pickings
to exploit. Their struggle for liberation continues.
-
- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached atlendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge
discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour
on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and
Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
-
- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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