Think Haiti, Think Healthy...

             As you sit in your dorm room, your office, or the comfort of your own well-built and clean home, be aware of those who are not able to enjoy the luxuries you do. Something as simple as a clean glass of water, which we often wastefully take for granted, myself included, is denied to entire countries. One of these right now is the country of Haiti.
Ten months after the country was devastated by a life-shaking earthquake, Haiti stands still ever so much in need. A cholera epidemic is sweeping the country due to lack of sanitation, and The United States has finally contributed a promised $917 million but not in time to stop 917 deaths and 14,642 hospitalizations related to cholera, a completely treatable infection.

             After watching a presentation from a missionary who was part of a medical team in Haiti a few months ago, I was struck by the simplicity of the needs she said these people had. Instead of constructing buildings, roads, and establishing solid government, she suggested that those coming in to help dig wells to provide them with a water source, as well as food and hygiene materials. It is quite apparent now why she presented these things as being more pressing. Financially, however, the organizations working in Haiti were limited and stretched.

              It is not the fault of the United States that these people have contracted cholera, but it is the fault of the United States that we have not responded more promptly. Haitians are suffering and dying needlessly, while the United States has had the resources to offer them sanitation all along. My question is why does it take so long for us to decide to do the right thing? It has taken almost an entire year to send substantial aid to a neighboring country that was in need even before disaster struck. We need to be quicker to act in the future, so that more lives may be spared from things such as disease and malnutrition.

           As Americans, then, we need to support aid to Haiti, and make sure we are sending people over there to specifically address sanitary issues and health concerns. All it takes is building simple sanitation facilities and teaching Haitians where they can get water from and where they cannot. I fully commend the United States for taking steps in this direction, but hope that along with food and medical supplies that a water-sanitation system is set up.