UN appeals for aid for Haiti; Cholera epidemic could soon infect 650,000

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called on the international community to immediately provide large amounts of aid to Haiti to fight a deadly cholera epidemic that has already killed more than 1,800 people and infected 81,000.

Ban told reporters in New York the epidemic is spreading rapidly and could affected 650,000 people in the impoverished Caribbean state within six months.

The Haitian Government, UN agencies and the humanitarian community are seeking to provide treatment and put preventive measures in place, supplying water-purification materials, carrying out large-scale public information campaigns, and helping to build treatment centres.

The problems have been compounded by the devastation caused by an earthquake in January that killed 200,000 people and left about 1.3 million others homeless. A UN appeal launched three weeks ago for UD$164 million is only 20 per cent funded.

“One thing is clear,” Ban said. “Admirable as they may be, these collective efforts are simply not sufficient. Without a massive and immediate international response, we will be overwhelmed.

"The lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at risk. And it is up to us to act, with maximum speed and full resources.”

The appeal was repeated by Assembly President Joseph Deiss, who told the 192-member body that efforts to prevent the spread of the epidemic cannot wait. “In the current circumstances, the international community must do everything within its power to help the Haitian authorities and people,” he said.

“Urgent action must be taken to meet the humanitarian challenges and ease the suffering of the Haitian population.”

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) and its regional arm, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), estimate that an additional 350 doctors, 2,000 nurses and 2,200 support staff will be required over the next three months, in addition to the 300 medical personnel that Cuba has already committed.

Officials estimate that about 30,000 community health workers and volunteers would also need to be trained to help staff an estimated 15,000 oral re-hydration points, while still others are required to promote better hygiene in camps and communities.

Contaminated food and water, poor access to safe water, inadequate sanitation and high population density in the camps are contributing to the spread of the disease..