Before the international response to the earthquake of 2010 one challenge Haiti didn't face was cholera. Now it does, with 7,000 already dead and a continuing challenge for the entire country.
Published September 18, 2012
For lawyers Brian Concannon and Mario Joseph, cholera in Haiti isn’t just a deadly disease—it is a question of justice. Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, lacks a water and sanitation infrastructure that would have prevented the spread of cholera, a disease that hadn't been seen in the country for decades until it was allegedly re-introduced by United Nations peacekeeping troops.
A case filed against the United Nations to pursue reparations for the victims of the disease has gone nowhere fast, but Concannon and Joseph say they will not let the case disappear.
In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaac, flooded tents and concerns about the spread of cholera show that Haiti is still vulnerable to natural disasters.
Two years after the onset of cholera in Haiti, efforts to improve public health practices, such as hand-washing and drinking purified water, are paying off. Daily routines are changing—albeit slowly.
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A recent graduate of Boston University, Meghan received her degree with honors in journalism with a minor in anthropology. While in Boston, she worked as an intern at Harvard University and the...
