Health

Fears are growing the virulent Ebola virus may cross over from West Africa into the Americas, causing thousands to flee toward the U.S./Mexico border. Marine Corps General John F. Kelly, who heads the U.S. Southern Command, says, "There's no way you can keep Ebola in West Africa."

Kelly's concern is two-fold. The first is the inability of emergent nations in the western hemisphere to quickly contain an epidemic of this nature, so it could be expected to foment for awhile. The second is the monitoring of human and drug trafficking in the Americas and the Caribbean, which could conceivably import cases of Ebola. Kelly cites CDC statistics: 1.4 million West Africans will contract Ebola ". . . by January 2015, with a 52% fatality rate . . ."

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Haiti's School Children need Clean Drinking Water and Toilets. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the World Bank, international donors, and the government of Haiti (GOH) to begin providing school children with clean toilets and safe drinking water. They are gathering at a donors' conference in Washington D.C., to increase funding commitments toward clean drinking water and an improved sanitation and health system on the island.

HRW has discovered almost 60% of Haitian schools lack toilets, with over 75% having no access to water. Even recently completed schools, built with funds contributed by international donors, HRW found did not meet government guidelines, lacking both sufficient water and sanitation facilities. Consequently, students are missing classroom time, at home ill with diarrhea. HRW is asking the World Bank to lead on this issue by supporting basic rights of school children to clean drinking water, and proper and adequate sanitation facilities at their schools. HRW's Amanda Klasing says "The majority of children in Haiti attend schools in such poor condition . . . they risk contracting disease . . ."

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Hospital Bernard MEVS in Port-au-Prince is the only critical care and trauma hospital in Haiti. The hospital has been frequently visited by medical volunteers every week from across America and Canada.

Recently, in last December, the UM's Miller School of Medicine started has started a 'telemedicine' program where the physicians from Miami will consult and guide the doctors in Port-au-Prince everyday. The hospital is visited by a large number of adult and pediatric patients every day, but it often lacks necessary supplies and expertise. "Telemedicine" is sometimes referred as "Telehealth", an offshoot of the space program; it was developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1960s to serve the astronauts. After the 2010 earthquake, LifePaths Global Alliance (LGA), an organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged communities in the Caribbean and Central America, realized that basic medical care in the rural and remote areas of Haiti was significantly lacking.

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One big setback for the lawyers seeking justice and compensations for the victims of cholera in Haiti. Federal judge in Manhattan, Judge J. Paul Oetken, has decided to go with the argument presented by the lawyers of the United Nations which is that the United Nations is immune from any lawsuit because of treaties.

Kreyol Pale, Kreyol Kompran

Nan bon Kreyol, sa vle di ke "Si ke mwin pi gro neg passe-ou, mwin deja gin raiso sou-ou"

Eske nou tout pa ta vle nan pozisyon UN? Mwin fè Lwa ki nan avantaj mwin, mwin antre lakay-ou, mwin fè kont dega, et pi mwin di ke mwin te signin yon papier ki di mwin pa responsab pou aucun dega

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Nearly four years ago after Haiti's devastating earthquake in January 2010, a cholera epidemic broke out ten months later, which has since taken more than 8,500 Haitians' lives, and afflicted another 700,000-plus. It was determined that Nepal troops sent by the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti were to blame for spreading the water-borne virus through feces-contaminated water, which filtered into communities' drinking water supplies.

The UN has denied responsibility, forcing the victims to file a class action lawsuit in New York's Southern District federal court, insisting on remuneration for the deaths, suffering, and cost of treatment. The UN's response has been to invoke diplomatic immunity. The U.S. has buttressed the UN's position with a filing, saying the UN "enjoys absolute immunity", presented to U.S. District Judge Oetken last March. The class action suit alleges the epidemic "resulted from the negligent, reckless, and tortious conduct of the Defendants . . . (who) have a legal obligation to provide redress"

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An effect of Haiti's 2010 earthquake has been to bring the discussion of mental health out into the open and work to disabuse Haitians of the notion mental health has something to do with being crazy. What they fail to understand is their feelings of loss, grief, survivor guilt, and fear are normal and need tending to in order to heal.

Nearly five years later hundreds of thousands of earthquake survivors remain living in tent cities, suffering severe emotional and psychological trauma. In addition they are dealing with overcrowding, squalor, risks of being sexually assaulted, gang activity, and no police protection.

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Heaven's Angels Pediatric Clinic in Jacmel is a kid focused medical clinic that is going to be built by ministry of 'Freedom Global Outreach' (FGO) at a large primary school in Jacmel named 'Vie De France School'. 'Freedom Global Outreach' exists to rescue, shelter, mentor abandoned and orphaned children in Christian homes. They teach and assist to meet their physical and spiritual needs and help to break the cycles of poverty in their lives. The clinic will start in 2015 with two full time Registered Nurses-- Julie Reichard and Megan Brown with a team of doctors, other nurses and supporting staff from U.S and Canada. FGO never retain or withheld any administrative charges or fees from the support of a missionary or mission project. The project cost for the Heaven's Angels Pediatric Clinic at Jacmel has been estimated at $12,000.

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The Ebola outbreak has Haitians more than a little concerned: the country is already battling two epidemics,

cholera and chikungunya. Responding to gathering alarm the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) has put people's fears to rest by assuring them no cases have been reported in the U.S. He added likelihood of Ebola entering Haiti is almost non-existent.

Meanwhile MSPP has encouraged Haitians not to panic because a response plan has been prepared in collaboration with the international community. It will proactively prevent contact with the virus while educating the masses about methods to avoid it. MSPP informs the public ". . . transmission of the virus requires direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or body fluids of a person . . . " But to take precaution to ensure no exposure to Ebola occurs, Minister of Health, Dr. Guillaume, has advised people to refrain from unnecessary travel to places where cases have been reported.

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First Lady of Haiti, Sophia Martelly, attended two ceremonies related to maternity and obstetrics' care in Southeast Department of Thiotte and the commune of Anse-a-Pitre. On hand for both functions were Dr. Ted Lazarre, Director of Health; Florence D. Guillaume, Public Health and Population Minister; Thiotte Deputy Jean Camille Desmarattes; Thiotte and Anse-a-Pitre mayors; French Ambassador to Haiti, Patrick Nicoloso, and other officials. In Thiotte the ceremony was for the launching of the Maternity SONUB, and in Anse-a-Pitre Center for Obstetric Care of Banane was re-opened.

Dr. Ted Lazarre stressed the effect the programs at Maternity SONUB and Obstetric Care Banane would have on reducing death and disease in these two provinces. He added the two communities would have equal access to maternity and birth services, delivered at a high level of care.

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As news spreads about a new outbreak of Anthrax, even as the country faces the threat of the chikungunya wave, fears about contamination and contraction have left people paranoid. Bacillus anthracis cases have been reported over the past few weeks in the localities of various sections such as the eight communal section of Petit Goave, Corail.

Assessments undertaken by local peasants estimate that 6 oxen have succumbed to the disease, and at least 9 humans have been infected. They urged the UCS-Goavienne and the local communal agricultural office to take urgent action to help eradicate the disease, which is impervious to heat, many substances for disinfection, drought, gamma and ultraviolet rays. Probably the most pressing part of the matter is that contaminated meat is being sold on the market, representing the threat of a widespread epidemic.

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