14 November 2010 By Stephen
Lendman On November 9, Haiti Libre said
city authorities examined at least 120 suspected
cases, mostly in Cite Soleil, the extremely
impoverished, densely populated community home to
around 400,000. More vulnerable from Hurricane Tomas
flooding, Partners in Health (PIH) called crowded
camps "a potential flashpoint for a cholera outbreak.
There is growing concern" about reported cases,
thousands that may spread to many more. In recent days, cases "continued
to expand geographically. More (appeared) in Haiti's
Central Plateau," PIH reporting 111 people
hospitalized. Reported deaths also keep rising, likely
much higher than Haiti's Health Ministry 544 figure on
November 8. On November 9, Al Jazeera reported 583
deaths, the numbers increasing daily. The report also
said: "At least 115 cases of cholera,
including the death of (at least) one person, have
been registered in Haiti's capital, the most
significant warning sign yet that the epidemic has
spread from outlying areas to threaten hundreds of
thousands of people in the city's camps." Reporter Sebastian Walker said
hospitals were overwhelmed, adding: "Given the sheer number of cases
that hospitals are receiving, it is simply not
possible to conduct laboratory tests in order to give
100 per cent overall confirmation that this is
cholera." Given the familiar symptoms,
however, including severe diarrhea, vomiting and
fever, there's little doubt about the cause. Over
9,000 cases so far have been identified, mostly in the
Artibonite area, north of Port-au-Prince. Walker also said that "It is
almost impossible to contain this disease in an
environment like this. Port-au-Prince is a very
overcrowded city with appalling sanitation
infrastructure." PIH founder, Dr. Paul Farmer,
currently UN Deputy Special Envoy to Haiti, called for
an aggressive investigation into the outbreak's cause.
However, since the January earthquake, aid from most
governments, UN bodies, and most NGOs has been meager
and inadequate, despite billions of dollars pledged or
donated. Washington promised over $1 billion,
delivered nothing. Shamefully, most funding is
earmarked for development, not affected Haitians on
their own to survive, even after Hurricane Tomas and
the cholera outbreak. Suspicions are that UN Blue
Helmets introduced it, tests confirming it's a South
Asia strain (Vibrio cholerae serogroup 01, serotpe
Ogama), not regional. Nepalese Peacekeepers are based
in Artibonite, site of the initial outbreak. It's also
Haiti's main rice-growing area, raising suspicions of
deliberate sabotage, creating a greater potential for
US imports, already advantaged by huge subsidies able
to undercut home-grown crops. For decades, Haiti experienced no
cholera. Now an epidemic threatens, ThirdAge.com
saying since late October, half of Haiti's 10
administrative regions have been hit. In a matter of
weeks, it's "suspected of infecting tens of thousands
of people...." Tomas flooding forced an Artibonite
River dam to release infected water, exacerbating the
disease potential. An earlier article provided more
details, accessed through the following link: http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/11/haitis-cholera-outbreak-disease-of.html On November 9, Doctors Without
Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres - MSF) said it was
treating increasing numbers of suspected cholera cases
in Port-au-Prince - so far, over 200 people,
"suffering from severe diarrhea, a clinical symptom
consistent with cholera." MSF has four Port-au-Prince
facilities, but only about 300 beds set aside for
cholera. In the Artibonite area, its teams have
treated over 6,400 cases. Overall, however, it warns
that the limited access to safe drinking water and
sanitation services pose an enormous risk for further
spread. A widespread epidemic is feared. Potentially
it could kill many thousands. On November 10, Haiti:
Operational Biosurveillance (HOB) said: "Current official stats (confirm)
more than 9,500 cases and 583 fatalities. In some
areas of Haiti, we have confirmation that in-patient
statistics are under-reported by as much as 400%.
There is no question of under-reporting." At one-fourth the true number, it
means around 38,000 affected people. Again, the totals
grow daily, HOB believing "the true statistic to be
closer to more than 50k based on the degree of
under-reporting. This is an uncontrolled, uncontained
epidemic of cholera that has exceeded public health
capacity to investigate and assess every site reported
and every sample received." Evidence also suggests that it
spread cross border to the Dominican Republic, HOB
calling it "expected." It's confirmed in multiple
Haitian sites, including Port-au-Prince, the
northwest, and southern peninsula. Transmission modes
include contaminated food and water as well as
human-to-human spread. Its presence in overcrowded
Cite Soleil has "dire implications" for the capital. HOB reports unconfirmed cases in
Port-au-Prince's Carrefour community. "Other areas
have reported cholera such as Grand and Petit Goave....Suspect
(cases) have been reported in Les Cayes, Jacmel, and
several other rural communities in the southern
peninsula. We assume it is highly likely the epidemic
has indeed extended to" this area. HOB concludes
that: "The cholera epidemic in Haiti
proceeds in an uncontrolled, uncontained fashion and
will likely encompass all of Haiti within a matter of
weeks." "Eventual regionalization of
cholera in the Caribbean is a strong possibility but
not a certainty if the pandemic of the early 1990s is
a guide." Haiti experienced no cholera for the past 50
years. It's present now under very suspicious
circumstances. Virtually ignored in Western media reports, Cuba stands out. For years, hundreds of its doctors, nurses, and other medical specialists have provided Haitians with primary care, surgeries, and other professional services. After the earthquake, they worked round the clock delivering exemplary aid, helped by Venezuelan funding. Cuba's now playing a lead role in treating cholera victims. On November 4, Argentine Dr. Emiliano Mariscal, a graduate of Cuba's Latin American School of Medicine and member of its Haiti medical team, said: active "work is going forward. The Cuban Medical Brigade (is) contributing to the fight against this terrible epidemic together with Haitian authorities." He's one of 51 young Cuban graduates in the country, an expression of "solidarity and internationalism" at a time of need, "working arm in arm as one with (our) Cuban brothers and teachers." Cuban medical providers will remain active "during the cholera epidemic....Just ask any (Haitian about them) and you will see their faces blossom." Venezuela also was one of the first countries to deliver post-quake aid, sending fuel, hundreds of tons of food, medical supplies, water purification systems, electrical generators, heavy equipment to remove rubble, and more. Venezuela also immediately cancelled Haiti's debt. After the cholera outbreak, it sent more aid, including a Ministry of Health team, 10,000 doses of medication, and 4,500 intravenous drips and rehydration tablets, promising more will follow. Venezuela is working cooperatively with the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), a political and diplomatic multilateral regional body, each member country committed to contribute resources, supplies and services. A Final Comment A previous article explained that on November 28, first round legislative and presidential elections will be held. Democracy, however, will be absent because the nation's most popular party, Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas, and 13 others are excluded, the system rigged to "elect" Washington friendly choices. Suppressing an orchestrated sham (a coup d'etat by other means), US Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice's September 24 Voice of America (America's propaganda to the world) article headlined, "Supporting Stability in Haiti," saying: "Peaceful and credible elections and the transfer of power to a new government will be key milestones of Haiti's progress....(T)he United States and the United Nations continue to help Haiti recover and rebuild....The US along with the United Nations is committed to staying with the Haitian people and helping" them. Clear evidence shows otherwise, a disgusting US-led effort to militarize the country, obstruct aid, and divert funding for development, not affected Haitians. Now, under impossible conditions, a force-fed sham election, spreading cholera, exacerbated by flooding, and no aid whatever from Washington. America is committed only to imperial wars, occupations, and exploitation. Ask Haitians. They'll explain.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@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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