PAHO warns of progressing cholera outbreak in Haiti | News

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Tuesday warned of the situation in Haiti amid a cholera outbreak that has killed 36 people.

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The entity noted that after three years of being free of cholera, Haiti is once again experiencing an outbreak of the disease that puts the lives of 1.2 million children living in areas where cases of the disease have been reported at risk.

“The country is again recording an outbreak with hundreds of suspected cases, dozens of confirmed cases, and 36 deaths from the disease as of mid-October,” the PAHO said.

For its part, the United Nations warned, through its news portal, that cholera is not the only danger facing children in that country, where they are threatened by violence and malnutrition.

He stressed that “the violence ravaging Haiti threatens children’s basic rights to life, education, drinking water, sanitation, health and nutrition,” citing data from the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

According to the commission, “violence, insecurity and economic hardship have left many of the poorest families in Haiti without access to clean water, soap for hand washing, and other basic sanitation, increasing the risk of disease.”

With regard to child nutrition, the entity indicated that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) counted about 100,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Likewise, they explained, the situation is alarming because malnourished children are at greater risk due to the cholera outbreak developing.

Given this situation, the entity stressed the need to take immediate action to protect children in that country, as they are the most vulnerable segment of the population.

“The international community must act immediately to support national authorities in ensuring the rights of millions of Haitian children to live, grow, learn and thrive in a climate free of violence,”