Tropical Storm Issac’s Most Lethal Bullets Will Be An Increase In Cholera.
In the fall of 2010, months after a devastating earthquake brought Haiti to its knees, a cholera epidemic sweep through the vulnerable nation. Since their introduction into the country, 7,400 Haitians died and 530,000 people became ill from these waterborne bacteria.
The largest cholera outbreak in the world in recent years followed on the heels of the Western hemisphere’s largest natural disaster. And the killing is not over yet.
As Tropical Storm Issac steams toward the country, Haitians brace for another round of deadly cholera assault. After the floods recede and the landslides settle into place, the beleaguered populace will face another round of cleaning up the remains of what little housing and possessions they had prior to the storm.
Far too many people will also require ongoing medical attention; not just from storm related injuries, but from the myriad of water-borne diseases, such as cholera, brought into their homes and their children’s mouths through contaminated water.
In developed countries, such an epidemic would never gain a foothold. The existence of sanitation systems, safe water supplies and basic hygiene supplies guard against the spread of cholera. In the unlikely event an outbreak occurred, an abundance of local, state and federal infrastructures, cooperative and widespread media outlets, medical supplies and skilled personnel would likely contain and eradicate it in a short time.
Haiti is not privileged enough to have these life-saving safeguards we often take for granted.
At CRUDEM/Hôpital Sacré Coeur, we’re still working to level the playing field and bring life-saving medical treatment and community based preventative healthcare education to the 225,000 people of Haiti’s northern region.
To us, the cholera battle is personal: it wounds and kills our neighbors.
The over 32,600 people in the northern region who have been stricken with cholera are not numbers to us. They have names, faces, families, and hopes and dreams not unlike our own. Cholera is an aggressive illness; often claiming its victims, from severe dehydration, within hours of inception.
We don’t just fight against a public health issue; we fight for the lives of Jasmin, Jean-Pierre, Tamara and others.
We invite you to join us, in creating a healthier Haiti, one dignified – and very personal and important – life at a time.
$1 a day for 30 days
What’s $1 a day? The average US cost for 500 gallons of clean water. What’s your $1 a day mean to a patient at Hôpital Sacré Coeur? The chance for a lifetime. Can $1 day get more meaningful than that?
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The CRUDEM Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit, 501 (c) 3 charitable organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Our EIN or federal tax ID number is: 43-1660199. Financial records can be viewed here.
