current events
PROGRAM FOR PREVENTING CERVICAL CANCER
12-2-2015 A pilot program has been initiated in Haiti to prevent cervical cancer. This two year program was created by Zanmi Lansante, a Haitian program from the nonprofit company, Partners in Health. Haiti has the world's highest rate of cervical cancer, and about 3,000 women get cervical cancer each year with a 50% fatality rate.
The program will screen 20,000 women for cervical cancer and give vaccinations against this disease to 6,000 girls. While there are many other women in Haiti to take account of, this is a large step for the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. The program will be focused in Saint Nicolas Hospital in Saint-Marc, Haiti. |
RIOTS AGAINST ELECTION RESULTS
11-24-2015 The two leading candidates in Haiti's first-round presidential election are Jovenel Moise and Jude Celestin. Protests in Cabaret, Haiti and then Port-au-Prince have sparked, where supporters of Moise Jean-Charles, a popular presidential candidate, violently rampaged through the streets. Protesters criticized the results and say that the electoral committee manipulated the vote count. One person was injured due to gunfire from a police. A policeman was shot, and another was hit in the head with rocks.
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NUMBER OF CHOLERA PATIENTS INCREASE IN HAITI
12-1-2015 In Haiti, cholera treatment centers (CTC) continue to receive patients. In fact, one hospital in St. Marc has received 196 admissions in November. Factors such as Haiti's polluted rivers and streams as well as the fact that there is no central water treatment facility, have further spread the disease.
Numbers of cholera patients have tripled compared to last year, not even accounting for the victims that have not reported to CTCs or hospitals. Despite the fact that the United States Agency for International Development promised $95 million USD, many hospitals do not have enough supplies for their rapidly growing number of cholera patients. |
LEADING PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE UNSURE ABOUT RUNOFF
11-27-2015 Jude Célestin, the second leading presidential candidate, is dubious about participating in the December 27th runoff and says that “no decision has been made” about his participation in the runoff against Jovenel Moïse.
Celestin, and 7 other presidential candidates have formed an alliance group and state that the October ballot-count did not seem realistic. Moïse had nearly 33 percent of the vote and Celestin 25 percent, when Moïse is known to be unpopular amongst Haitian citizens but is supported by the government. |
HAITI BORDER CRISIS GROWS
9-19-15 Dominican officials have been targeting and deporting Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent. About 1,500 people have been deported and hundreds have fled in fear.The crisis stems from the 2013 constitutional change in the Dominican Republic that took away citizenship from Dominican born people of foreign parents - mostly of Haitian origin. This has created a large influx of Dominicans and Haitian migrants to channel into southern Haiti, where informal settlement camps are set up. Camp residents have complained that the Haitian government has done little to help them such as not providing food or water.
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