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More on Haiti's Raging Cholera, Electoral Fraud and Deportations - by Stephen Lendman
Haitians remains plagued by a perfect storm combination of earthquake devastation, crushing poverty, raging cholera, electoral fraud, exploitation, persecution, Obama-ordered deportations, and world indifference to their plight, with few exceptions like Cuba and Venezuela.
Post-quake, their aid was some of the first to arrive. After cholera struck, Chavez sent a Ministry of Health team with medications, intravenous drips and rehydration tablets. He promised more as needed for "our Haitian brothers and sisters (exploited) by savage capitalism and imperialism."
Since 1998, Cuba's had hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other medical specialists in Haiti to help. Post-quake, it sent more, and after cholera struck, more still with supplies to set up new facilities and deliver heroic services under the most adverse conditions, including in hard to reach rural areas.
Dr. Lorenzo Somarriba, Cuba's Medical Brigade (BMC) coordinator said the team numbers 908, including Cuban-trained professionals from 19 other countries, mostly Latin American, Carribbean and African ones, serving with its own staff. Included are doctors, nurses, technicians and logistics experts. They speak Creole, know the terrain, provide more aid than other nations by far, and stand ready to send more as needed.
On December 16, Granma International's Juan Diego Nusa Penalver headlined, "Cuban volunteers establish important cholera treatment center," saying:
"In record time," Cuba's BMC established a 100-bed treatment center in Carrefour for its 400,000 residents, 20 km from Port-au-Prince. Its "comprehensive cholera treatment areas" have 32 doctors and staff. In tents, 38 units are operating. "(H)ospitals adapted to confront the disease....which through December 12 had treated 34,309 patients" with a mortality rate of 0.75%.
In total, Cuba plans 20 Treatment Centers throughout the country, including in Mirebalais, Hinche, Saut-d'eau, L'Estere, Plateau-du-Nord, Belladere, Plaisance and Carrefour. "Work is (also) underway to find space and mount an additional 11 facilities of this type....The philosophy of unity (is committed) to defeat an enemy as powerful as cholera...."
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