Int'l efforts hampered by continued violence in Haiti
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The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday at a press conference in Geneva that the recent riots in Haiti are undermining international efforts to control the cholera outbreak there, and health facilities in the country may have to halt services due to blocked supply deliveries.
"The riots we had recently are certainly not helping," said WHO spokesperson Christian Lindneier, who just returned from Haiti, citing several cases of death en route to hospital as the roads were blocked during the riots.
Similar remarks were made by WHO partner Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), part of the international Health Cluster in Haiti together with dozens of other international humanitarian organizations.
PAHO's Director Mirta Roses said in an earlier statement: " Every hour that the efforts of medical and relief workers are obstructed means more deaths of Haitians from cholera."
Despite the appeal from various international humanitarian organizations, this week violence continues to spread in and around Cap Haitien, a coastal city in northern Haiti. The traffic in the area is in total chaos, with airport closed and roads blocked.
As a result, the Health Cluster reported, its staff in Cap Haitien were forced to discontinue much of their work in supporting treatment centers, training health personnel and delivering supplies to affected communities.
According to statistics released by the Haitian health authority, as of Nov. 15, there were 18,382 hospitalized cholera cases and the death toll had reached 1,110.
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