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The MINUSTAH and the epidemic

Reflections by comrade Fidel: The MINUSTAH and the epidemic

were about three weeks ago released news and pictures of how Haitian citizens threw stones at the armed forces of MINUSTAH and indignantly protested against this, where they accused them of having brought about a Nepalese soldiers cholera into the country.

The first impression for those who have no additional information was, that it is a trade from the dislike of any occupying power that emerged rumor.

How could that be proved? Very few of us knew the symptoms of cholera and its mode of transmission. After a few days listening to the protests in Haiti and it was not spoken about this matter.

The epidemic took its inexorable course, and other problems, such as those derived from the electoral risks we took time to complete.

met today the reliable and credible news stories of one, had really happened. The Haitian people had reasons galore to bring his indignant protest.

The news agency AFP reported verbatim: 'The renowned French epidemiologist Renaud Piarroux launched last month, a study in Haiti and came to the conclusion that the epidemic has been caused by an imported strain of bacteria, and by the Nepalese base "of the MINUSTAH "Starting spread".

Another European agency EFE said, with her hand: "The origin of the disease is in the small Location Mirebalais in the central part of the country have where the Nepalese soldiers set up their camp, and they arrived a few days after their arrival, proving the origin of the epidemic ... "

" had far, the UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) denied that the epidemic had been found by their blue helmets entrance into the country. "

" ... the French doctor Renaud Piarroux which is regarded as one of the most important experts in the world in the investigation of the cholera epidemic, no doubt of the origin of disease ... "

" The investigation was Paris, where, at the request of the Haitian authorities in order, said a French diplomatic spokesman. "

" ... the occurrence of the disease coincides with the arrival of the Nepalese soldiers, who also come from a country where there is a cholera epidemic.

Anders is the so sudden and severe outbreak of cholera in a small town of a few dozen people not to explain.

The report also analyzes the way the spread of evil, as the faeces of the Nepalese camps were discharged directly into the river, which refer to the inhabitants of the village get their water. "

In what did the UN, surprised at the Most of the following, as that agency announced: They move ... " an investigation mission in the Nepalese camps, whose conclusion was that this could not be the source of the epidemic. "

Haiti may waive the midst of the destruction by the earthquake, the epidemic and its poverty is not now an international force, the organization of a ensured by foreign intervention and exploitation by the transnational companies ruined country. The UN has to not only meet the basic obligation to fight for the reconstruction and development of Haiti, but also a matter of mobilizing the necessary resources to eliminate an epidemic that threatens to escalate to the neighboring Dominican Republic, on the Caribbean, Latin America and other similar countries of Asia and Africa.

Why has the UN stiffened to deny that the people of Haiti, MINUSTAH has brought the epidemic? We do not blame Nepal that has been in the past British colony, whose men were used in the colonial wars and seek employment as soldiers today.

We have at the moment in Haiti demand for its services payable Cuban doctors and they have confirmed with remarkable accuracy by the above European agencies sent messages.

I quote here a tight summary of what we Yamila Zayas Nápoles announced, specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine and Anesthesiology, director of a medical facility with 8 basic disciplines and the diagnosis by the project, Cuba-Venezuela, which was inaugurated in October 2009 in the municipality of 86,000 inhabitants comprehensive Mirebalais in the North Department.

On Saturday, the 15th October have been admitted three patients with symptoms of diarrhea and severe dehydration, and on Sunday the 16th another 4 with similar symptoms, but from the same family, so the decision was made to isolate them and tell what happened to the mission. On Monday the 17th suddenly were 28 patients admitted with similar symptoms.

The Medical Mission sent with urgency, a group of experts in epidemiology, took samples of blood and fecal samples and collected samples of vomit and the details which were sent with urgency in the national laboratories of Haiti.

On 22 October was informed then that the isolated bacterial strain corresponded to the prevailing disease in Asia and Oceania, which is the most serious. The unity of the Nepalese UN peacekeepers is stationed on the banks of the river Artibonite, which meanders through the small village Meye, where the epidemic began, and Mirebalais, where they then spread quickly.

Despite such unexpected ways died of the outbreak of cholera in the small but excellent Hospital in the service of Haiti from the first, beginning in isolated parts of the same patients treated 2822 only 13 people, representing a mortality rate of 0.5%. Later, it was established as a separate site located the cholera treatment center in 3459 patients 5 very serious cases are passed, ie 0.1%.

The total number of cholera patients in Haiti was today, Tuesday, 7 December, 93 222 people, and the code for the deceased patients reached 2120. In the Cuban Mission to the patients, the rate was 0.83%. The mortality rate in other hospitals is 3.2%. With the acquired experience, adequate measures and Amplification by the brigade "Henry Reeve", the Cuban medical mission set out to get the support of the Haitian authorities in any of the isolated 207 lying districts, so that none of the Haitian people missing in the face of the epidemic of medical care, and many lives are saved can.


Fidel Castro Ruz

7th December 2010 18:34
clock

No. 54 Je Smith's Sons Co. Sausage Stuffer

The duty and the epidemic in Haiti

Reflections by comrade Fidel: The obligation and the epidemic in Haiti

Last Friday, the 3rd December, has decided the United Nations, a general analysis of the cholera epidemic in that sister country to . Devote The message about this decision was promising. This would certainly serve to make the public opinion on the severity of the event closely and mobilize their support for the Haitian people. Finally, there is a raison d'être is to solve problems and promote peace.

The present situation of Haiti is bad and the much-needed help is low. Our hectic world spends every year, 1.5 trillion dollars in weapons and wars. What Haiti - a country which has suffered nearly a year ago the brutal earthquake that caused 250,000 dead, 300,000 injured and widespread destruction - for its reconstruction and its development is needed, experts estimate that 20 billion, or only 1.3% of what is spent annually for such purposes.

But it is not now for what would just be a dream. The UN can not only make an appeal for a modest economic aid fare that could be solved in a few minutes, but also calls to 350 doctors and 2,000 nurses, of the non-poor countries have and which the rich countries take for them usually. Cuba has responded immediately and offered 300 doctors and nurses. Our Cuban Medical Mission in Haiti treated almost 40% of cholera patients. Quickly she has devoted himself to the call of the International Organisation of the task of searching for the specific causes for the high mortality rate. The low rate in the treated patients of them, which is below 1% - which is reduced and will continue to diminish with each day - compared to 3% in the other health facilities treated individuals working in the country.

It is obvious that limits the number of deaths not only on reported more than 1,800 people. These figures are those not included, which without medical treatment and without any of the existing health facilities visit die.

Upon investigation of the causes among those who visited with the highest severity of the disease, the health institutions to combat the epidemic, which is supervised by our doctors, they found that these were from the most remote districts of communities that have hardly any traffic and communication links. Haiti is a mountainous surface and in many places you can lie isolated places only reached by a march over rugged terrain.

The country is divided into 140 municipalities, urban or rural, and 570 municipal districts. In such an isolated hamlet situated where - according to the estimates of the Protestant pastor - about 5,000 people live, 20 of them had died from the epidemic without having visited a health facility.

the urgent investigation of the Cuban medical mission in coordination with the health authorities, it was found that 207 Haitian districts have the most remote places without access to the centers for the fight against cholera and health facilities.

In the aforementioned meeting of the United Nations confirmed that the wife Valerie Amos told of need, which the UN Deputy Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and is in an urgent mission had two days to visit the country and calculated the number of 350 doctors and 2,000 nurses. It had been necessary to bring the country 'human resources experience to calculate the amount of resources are required. That factor will also be a function of the hours and days, the staff that is dedicated to the fight against the epidemic. An important fact to consider is not only the work time spent, but the service hours. In examining the high mortality is observed that 40% of mortality in the night hours is observed, which revealed that the patients receive at these times is not the same treatment for their disease.

Our Mission estimates that the best use of staff would reduce the said total number. The Cuban Medical Mission is certain that the epidemic caused by the mobilization of available human resources of the Brigade "Henry Reeve" and the graduates of the Latin American School of Medicine ELAM even in the midst of the enormous, by the earthquake and hurricane devastation by the unpredictable rain and poverty adversity and dominated the lives of thousands of people can be preserved, which would inexorably die under the current circumstances.

On Sunday the 28th found the elections for president, the whole of the House of Representatives and part of the Senate instead, which was a tense and complicated event, which we very worried because it is an epidemic and the traumatic situation of the country with respect.

In his statement of 3rd December, said the Secretary General of the UN literally the following: "'I call on all political actors to ensure that they are no matter what their complaints or reservations about the electoral process were also included starting the violence and to debate the matter once and to find a solution before a crisis breaks out, '"reported a major European news agency.

According to this Agency has urged the Secretary-General, the international community to fulfill the transfer of 164 million dollars, of which only 20% have been presented.

It is not correct, so to apply to a country as if you scold a child. Haiti is a country that has been two centuries ago, the first of the hemisphere, that put an end to slavery. It is the victim of any type of colonial and imperialist aggression was. It was occupied by the U.S. government nearly six years ago after a fratricidal war had been broken by the fence. The presence of a foreign occupying power, in the name of the United Nations, but knows that land is not the right to that their dignity and history be respected.

The attitude of the UN Secretary General's call to the Haitian people, to avoid collisions with each other, in our opinion, incorrect. On 28 have opposition parties in the relatively early morning signed a call to protest on the streets, which they caused demonstrations and created a significant confusion in the country, especially in Port-au-Prince, and especially abroad. Nevertheless, it both the government and the opposition has managed to prevent acts of violence. The next day was calm has returned in the nation.

The European agency reported that Ban Ki-moon following Statement was made about the "elections of last Sunday in Haiti [...]. That the registered 'irregularities appear to be now more serious than was thought at the beginning'"

Anyone who has read all the information from Haiti and the subsequent statements of the main Opposition candidate who can not comprehend that the person who called you to avoid fratricidal struggles after among voters created confusion on the eve of the election results that will determine the two opposing candidates for the elections in January, now says, that the problems would have been more serious than he would have thought at the beginning, which means to add fuel to the fire of political differences.

Yesterday, on 4 December, 12th, Anniversary of the arrival of the Medical Mission of Cuba in the Republic of Haiti. Since then, thousands of Cuban doctors and health professionals serving in Haiti did. We have with his people to peace and war, lived during earthquakes and hurricanes. We are in these times of intervention, occupation and epidemics are at his side.

The President of Haiti, the central and local authorities, regardless of what their religious or political ideas are also aware that on Cuba can count.


Fidel Castro Ruz

5th December 2010 20:12
clock