Partners in Health Launches New Campaign for Mosquito Nets

Although the floodwaters have receeded, Haitians in hurricane affected communities are still at risk. Standing water creates an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos that carry malaria and other diseases.  For pregnant women and children, a mosquito net can be a life saving, yet cost effective, intervention. Partners in Health (PIH) has launched a campaign to purchase and then distribute 10,000 long lasted insecticide treated mosquito nets.  Supporting this effort is a tangible way to help Haiti during the recovery process. 

There are other resources on the PIH website that you may find interesting.  BZ Films has produced a well done and very moving short film on hurricane affected communities and PIH's rapid mobilization to ensure access to health services. 

There is a link to an article that Edwidge Dandicat, a respected Haitian American writer, wrote in the Progressive concerning hurricane recovery. She reminds us that Haitians are not helpless.  They are strong, proud, and determined.  When they are able to, they will rebuild.  At this vulnerable time, though, they need support from governments, international organizations, and concerned individuals to adresss immediate needs and to put into place long term solutions that will prevent a disaster of this scale from happening in the future.  She closes by asking readers to consider supporting either PIH or the Lambi Fund.  

In an interview with Living on Earth Online, Paul Farmer notes that this disaster is anything but natural.  Haiti is more vulnerable to flooding than any other Caribbean country due to deforestation which began with colonization, was exacerbated by imposed isolation, and continued unabated due to poverty. As Paul puts it, people use charcoal because they have to.  If they could afford gas or kersone, they would not need wood fuel. Paul goes on to note that we must all do what we can to address the immediate suffering of survivors but we must also find solutions to longer term problems.

PIH has a library of health related resources on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and public health services in low resource settings.  You can search these resources by sector or by the countries where PIH works - Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Peru, Russia, USA, Mexico, and Guatemala.   

There are many good organizations operating throughout Haiti.  PIH is among the best.  We hope you will consider supporting this important initiative.  Thanks!

Bryan