Urgent Action Sought To Contain Cholera in Haiti

Doctors Without Borders have called for urgent action to fight against cholera in Haiti which continues to claim lives.

"We are worried about the lack of support from the international community and the lack of action from health authorities in Haiti," Thierry Goffeau, head of the group's Haiti operations, told AFP.

Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine and is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

Since the start of the epidemic in October 2010, 7,500 people have died from the disease that is spread through poor sanitation. This year alone, it has claimed at least 40 lives in the impoverished Caribbean nation that shares the Hispaniola island with the far wealthier Dominican Republic.

Doctors Without Borders has treated 9,800 cholera patients in special centers since early 2012, including 72 percent of cases in and around the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.

But the group stresses that it has no intention to replace health authorities and is there to support them.

Antibiotics may be Beneficial in Moderate Cholera
In contrast to the WHO recommendations, some researchers advocate the use of antibiotics in moderate as well as severe cases of cholera.

"We urge the international community and the World Health Organization to strengthen their support," Goffeau said.

Source-AFP

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