Cholera in a time of Chaos

As of this morning, it was reported that cholera has reached 5 of Haiti's ten departments. The dead toll has reached over 800 people and thousands are infected with the disease. While it is true that sanitation, access to clean water and proper sewage is lacking in Haiti, prior to late October cholera was not present it Haiti. The outbreak that started in the Artibonite region in late October is a strain found in South Asia according to the Center for Disease Control. And it just so happens that newly arrived UN soldiers from Nepal when stationed in the Artibonite.

It has not been confirmed that the cholera came from any of the soldiers, in fact an investigate to my knowledge has yet to get underway. While Haitians for the most part have remained calm, their have been demonstrations and renewed calls for the UN soldiers to leave and for an investigation into how cholera came to be in Haiti.

Now that cholera has a foot hold in Haiti it will be difficult to get rid of and it is expected that cholera will continue to spread. Unfortunately more people will continue to die as a result. While the urgency of the situation requires various actors to educate the population about proper hygiene and work around the clock to save lives, it is imperative that an investigation be conducted to uncover the source of cholera. It is not fair to have an vulnerable population, struggling from one misery after another to be introduced to more misery from outside sources.