The cholera epidemic, a threat to our national security November 11, 2010 at 7:08pm We are very good at repeating after others: the cholera is a threat to our national security. It is very true that the epidemic of cholera is a threat, but not to our national security. Such an epidemic would be a threat to any sovereign country’s national security, but not Haiti. It seems that we forget that our security does not depend on us. One question, what do we do to secure our country? Nothing! In regard to protect the population from epidemics, our government usually provides vaccines to a few people; question mark on the quality and effectiveness of these vaccines, for many years Haiti has been and still is a laboratory for experimentation. As the former governor said, Haiti shall no longer be a laboratory……She has a dream! The threat to Haiti’s security is Haitian himself. Let say instead, our politicians are the threat to the security of Haiti, including those who ruled in the past years, those who are in charge for the present time, and even those who aspire to be in power no matter what. Millions of dollars are being spent by politicians in attempt to persuade the population to put or keep them in power. How much is spent by the same politicians to help the victims of cholera and/or prevent more cases. Nobody is sure! Instead of working to stop the course of the epidemic, we prefer to politicize it. We call it an imported disease, the cholera of Munistha. Instead of taking responsibility for our misfeasance and/or nonfeasance, we prefer to blame others. Do not take me wrong, if there is wrongdoing and/or malfeasance from others, they need to be held accountable. When I was younger, running water was not available in every household in every city in the country, but it was not something that everyone was dreamt of it either. The country was always filthy, but not as filthy as it is today. It is unacceptable that the vast majority of Haitians do not have access to clean and potable water. It is unacceptable that the health and environment ministry do not play the role that they should play in the country: protect people’s health and the environment. It is unacceptable that the country is on the international community’s dependence for everything and anything. It is unacceptable that ONGs rule the country. It is unacceptable that YOU and I do not do anything to change that. In the past, those in power had authority, but today they can only complain. They are whining about everything and anything. We have whiners as leaders. This is the main threat to our national security! A few years ago, there was a slogan from the health ministry: Sante pour tous en l’an 2000 (health for everyone in 2000). It was just a slogan! There was neither a vision nor a desire to pursuit such an ambitious project. But, someone was thinking and came with the idea. Now, we are at the end of 2010, people are still drinking water from rivers and other contaminated sources. Past and current Haitian authorities are well informed about that. Is access to clean and potable water a priority for our politicians? Is a clean environment a priority for our politicians? Cholera is an epidemic now, God forbid, becomes soon endemic. Whose fault is that? Yes, the cholera is a major threat to the Haitian people; already, many are dying and many more are going to die and suffer with it, for we are not in charge of our security. We are blind when it comes to power, either to get it or keep it, and/or associate ourselves with those who have it. All we want is to be in power! This is another threat to our national security. Today, despite what cholera is being done to the population, our focus is on elections as if that are going to solve our problems. My brothers and sisters, wake up! We have been having elections in the country for many years now; nothing has changed. The time is for us to try something new: have a real conversation and save the country. If not, at the end of the day, we will be all losers. It is time for Haitians to understand the gravity of the problem and be willing to be part of the solution. The cholera is not a threat to Haiti’s national security; for the time being, that is the least we should worry about. But, the cholera epidemic is a real threat to everyone living in the country to say the least. Tiery S. Osias, DDS, MPH
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 14:41:19 +0000
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