Are the health care achievements of Cuba, Partners In Health and MSF shaming the big powers into action?

By Roger Annis

A new, United Nations-supported program to reduce infant and maternal mortality in Haiti has recently been announced. Titled, Maman ak timoun an sante (Healthy Mothers and Children), the program will provide care to pregnant women, children under five years of age and people living in the camps of people displaced by the earthquake--approximately 3 million people in total.

SOLIDARITY AND EFFECTIVE AID STILL URGENTLY NEEDED IN HAITI

The following statement by Haiti Solidarity BC (affiliate of the Canada Haiti Action Network) was distributed to delegates at the convention of the Federal New Democratic Party in Vancouver in June 2011. A downloadable pdf is available at the bottom of the page. Version française ci-dessous.

A profound humanitarian crisis prevails in Haiti, eighteen months following the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010. Hundreds of thousands of people still live in makeshift camps lacking adequate health services, sanitation, and potable water. Sexual assaults of female camp residents are widespread and many children have no schools to attend.