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In Pictures
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In pictures: Haiti’s cholera outbreak
In Camp Acra more than 26,000 people live elbow to elbow with no clean water. The entire population is at risk from cholera [Alessandro Rampietti]
Published On 15 Nov 2010
15 Nov 2010
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Tankers operated by private contractors come up to ten times a day to refill the water stations in the camp [Alessandro Rampietti]
Each family is permitted up to three buckets of water a day. They must use that small amount of water for cooking, bathing, washing and drinking [Alessandro Rampietti]
The medical clinics are full and in order to limit the spread of the disease many have had to set up tents to deal exclusively with those suffering symptoms related to cholera [Alessandro Rampietti]
Doctors are particularly afraid for the lives of young children. Two- to four-year-olds have the highest rate of infection [Alessandro Rampietti]
Health authorities are trying to raise awareness of cholera but one of the main obstacles they are encountering is mistrust of the government and any kind of public information [Alessandro Rampietti]
People are also very afraid of a disease they do not understand. Emmett Fitzgerald, the manager at Camp Acra, said: "They know it kills but they don(***)t know exactly how or why" [Alessandro Rampietti]
This mistrust and fear is now turning into anger. Hundreds of people rallied in one of the capital(***)s biggest slums. There was underlying message of anger towards the government, the UN and other groups they consider to be responsible for failing to protect the people from the outbreak [Alessandro Rampietti]
Cholera can be cured as long as treatment reaches the patient on time. The UN has made an appeal for almost $164mn in order to avoid being "overrun" by an epidemic. But many doubt that the money will reach those most in need [Alessandro Rampietti]