Haiti asks UN for support to eradicate cholera

By Senabri Sylvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – Haiti’s President Jocelerme Privert on Friday urged the United Nations to quickly approve a support measure to help his nation deal with a cholera epidemic.

Eradicating the epidemic in Haiti was a feature of a speech earlier this week by the head of the UN.

Privert noted with "the greatest interest" that the UN accepted responsibility for the cholera outbreak and said it should prepare a "material" package of assistance and "support" for Haitians who are directly affected.

"The UN’s acknowledgement of its responsibility on its issues opens the way for real discussions on the obligation to definitively eliminate this disease," Privert said during an address at the 71st annual General Assembly meetings.

The epidemic has affected 780,000 victims and claimed the lives of 9,100 in the last six years, he said, warning that it has become a “significant humanitarian deterioration” that needs concrete and effective support.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon apologized Tuesday for the cholera epidemic in Haiti and said it has “tarnished” the organization’s reputation.

Ban also reiterated his intention to increase support to reduce and ultimately end the transmission of the disease, typically contracted through contaminated food or water.

“We want to hope that the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal for a substantially reinforced battle plan against cholera and to aid the victims and their near ones will be heard and fully meet the expectations of the Haitian people,” Privert said Friday.

According to a statement posted last month on the UN website, the plan would include building sound water, sanitation and health systems, as well as improving access to care and treatment for victims and their families.

The comments by the UN chief came one day after a U.S. federal appeals court upheld the UN’s immunity from a damage claim filed in 2013 on behalf of cholera victims in Haiti.

The suit demanded the UN compensate victims of the epidemic it blamed on Nepali´s UN soldiers working in Haiti.