How UN Peacekeepers Brought Cholera to Haiti
Cholera remains one of the most insidious infections that humanity has not been able to fully overcome. From time to time, this disease breaks out in the poorest corners of the planet, taking many lives. The largest cholera epidemic in the 21st century occurred in Haiti in 2010. And the UN is to blame for this - an organization called to stand guard over peace, prosperity and health.
The cholera epidemic in Haiti was one of the deadliest in modern history. According to official figures, it killed 10,000 people. But the number is likely much higher and could reach 30,000. In total, about 2 million residents of the island fell ill. At the same time, many cases, especially in remote rural areas, remained unreported.
Cholera is a deadly disease caused by several bacteria of the Vibrio cholerae species. These microorganisms attack the small intestine, causing severe vomiting and diarrhea. As a result, the body quickly loses fluid and electrolytes, which without timely assistance can lead to death. However, with proper treatment, most patients survive, and the mortality rate remains below 1%.
The cholera vibrio is spread by the fecal-oral route. Therefore, the disease appears where people have to drink contaminated water. As a rule, cholera affects third world regions or territories affected by wars and natural disasters, where the infrastructure is in a deplorable state.
In January 2010, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale. Even for a prosperous country, such a cataclysm would have been a serious test. And for Haiti, where most buildings were built with violations and were in a state of disrepair, the consequences were truly catastrophic. According to various estimates, the death toll ranges from 220,000 to 316,000 people, making the tragedy one of the largest in the history of the region.
UN peacekeepers arrived in Haiti to help the victims. They cleared rubble, helped the wounded, distributed food, clothing, and medicine, and built temporary shelters for residents. The mission was organized in a hurry, because every day of delay could cost new lives. Because of this haste, many peacekeepers did not undergo a thorough medical examination. It was this decision that turned into a tragedy, the consequences of which were even worse than the destruction from the earthquake itself.
After the arrival of peacekeepers in Haiti, active work began on arranging housing for the participants of the UN mission. At the same time, huge camps were built to accommodate the victims. The large crowds, combined with a damaged or completely absent sewage system, led to the fact that wastewater began to be discharged directly into natural reservoirs.
The waste ended up in the Meie River, from which locals took water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing. Soon, doctors noticed the first cases of cholera. The epidemic spread with incredible speed: in just a few days, the number of cases exceeded 10 thousand. And this only included those who had managed to seek medical help.
The investigation quickly established that the source of the epidemic was one of the UN mission camps. The camp had no organized drainage or treatment facilities, so waste went directly into the river. The camp housed soldiers and construction workers who had arrived from Nepal, where an outbreak of cholera had occurred shortly before their departure. Some of the soldiers may have been carriers of the Vibrio cholerae bacteria without even knowing it. Even after the source of the infection was identified, the UN refused to acknowledge its responsibility and did not take urgent measures to eliminate the consequences of the epidemic.
Later, experts noted that most of the victims could have been avoided. It was enough to eliminate the source of infection and provide the local population with affordable cholera tests. The cost of one such test is only 3-4 dollars, and it identifies the carrier of the bacteria with 99.9% accuracy. With timely diagnosis and treatment, patients successfully recovered.
The situation was made worse by local looters. Drinking water in Haiti had become an incredibly valuable resource, and criminals began to deliberately destroy existing water pipelines. Their goal was simple: to fill tanks for subsequent sale of water. The specialists involved in eliminating the consequences of the disaster were unable to restore the water supply system. As a result, residents had to take water directly from the rivers, which only worsened the spread of infection.
With great delay, measures against cholera were taken. By 2013, it seemed that the epidemic in Haiti had been brought under control. But most of the causes of the tragedy remained unsolved, and soon the disease began to spread again. Cholera continued to claim lives in the country until February 2019.
At the height of the epidemic, in 2011, a group of Boston lawyers created the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. The organization filed a lawsuit against the United Nations on behalf of 5,000 cholera victims. The lawyers demanded effective measures to combat the disease, compensation for victims and families of the dead, and an admission of responsibility and an official apology from the UN leadership.
The UN legal arm dismissed the case, saying it was inadmissible. But the rights activists weren’t about to give up. They took their case to the US Federal Court in New York. UN officials were summoned to the hearing, but they ignored it, citing diplomatic immunity.
One of the Institute's lawyers, Philip Alston, voiced the amount of compensation required in an interview with the press. The UN was required to pay about 40 billion dollars: to the relatives of 10 thousand dead and more than 800 thousand sick. At the same time, Alston emphasized that the amount is not final. Many cases of cholera remained unregistered, and the consequences of the epidemic could have been felt for years.
Philip Alston was right. Cholera deprived many families of a breadwinner, and the Haitian economy, which was already in a dire state, suffered a new blow. In 2019, the country's authorities, together with the UN, officially declared victory over the epidemic. Unfortunately, in 2022, the disease made itself known again. Fortunately, this time only a few cases were recorded in the country's capital, Port-au-Prince. However, even this caused mass unrest, which escalated into clashes and outbreaks of violence, claiming dozens of lives.
For a long time, the UN denied its involvement in the epidemic. Representatives of the organization claimed that there was no evidence of a connection between peacekeepers and the cholera outbreak. However, independent studies conducted by scientists showed that the strain of cholera in Haiti is genetically identical to the one in Nepal.
It was not until 2016, six years after the outbreak, that the UN officially acknowledged its role. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon apologized to the people of Haiti for the mission’s unprofessional actions that contributed to the spread of the disease. But this was a political move, not a sign of remorse. The speech had no legal consequences.
The Secretary said that the UN was to blame for the fact that peacekeepers were unable to stop the epidemic in time.
He did not mention that the disease was brought to the country by the military from Nepal. The Secretary General also refused to fully blame the organization. Of course, there was no talk of any responsibility on the part of the UN. The organization is reliably protected from any claims for compensation thanks to diplomatic immunity.
The case of cholera in Haiti clearly shows how good intentions can turn into a real catastrophe. Despite the obvious connection between the actions of the UN mission and the epidemic, the organization avoided legal responsibility. But what do you think? Do you think the UN should be held accountable for such mistakes, despite diplomatic immunity? How do you think such tragedies can be prevented in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments - let's discuss together!