UPRISING
Devastated by natural disasters, extreme poverty and glaring cases of political corruption, Haiti faces in 2010 a crisis caused by the presidential elections on the 28th of November.
Port-au-Prince residents clashed with UN peacekeepers and the Haitian Riot Police, hurling stones and building blockades in protest of the previous evening’s announcement of preliminary results in the country’s presidential elections.
Government-backed candidate Jude Celestin and former first lady Mirlande Manigat advanced to a second-round runoff in Haiti’s presidential election, as furious protests led by supporters of Michel Martelly, the third-place candidate, broke out in the capital.
Those protesting accused the government of staging a fraudulent election.
CHOLERA
“Cholera: Acute infectious disease of the small intestine, caused by the bacterium “Vibrio cholera” and characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps, severe dehydration, and depletion of electrolytes. Without quick treatment, stupor and coma may precede death by shock.”
80% of the population in Haiti lives in abject rural poverty, earning less than $2 a day.
45% don´t have access to safe drinking water or sanitary conditions.
In October 2010, Haiti was hit with a cholera epidemic unprecedented in the country.
Within two months 3.481 people died from the disease.
As part of its response, the Haitian Ministry of Health (MSPP) created a team to collect the bodies of victims.
