Main Category: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses; Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 09 Nov 2011 - 13:00 PST
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Lawyers representing over 5,000 Haitian cholera victims are suing the United Nations and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for bringing the disease into their country. The cholera epidemic resulted in more than 475,000 registered cases of sickness and over 6,000 deaths. They say MINUSTAH brought cholera into Haiti in October 2010.
The Institute for Justice & Democracy In Haiti (IJDH-BAI) is providing legal assistance. BAI stands for Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (international bureau of lawyers). BAI, located in Port-au-Prince, consists of trained Haitian lawyers who have spoken out on justice issues since 1995.
The Haitian cholera epidemic started at the end of October 2010 in the Artibonite Department of Haiti, a rural area approximately 60 miles (100km) from Port-au-Prince, the country's capital. Ten months earlier, a powerful earthquake had devastated the country. Within ten weeks of the initial outbreak, the disease had spread to all the country's 10 departments. By November the following year cases were being reported in neighboring Dominican Republic, as well as 1 in Florida, USA, and some in Venezuela.
The cholera epidemic in Haiti is not over.
Lawyers representing the Haitian victims say that the United Nations (UN) and MINUSTAH are liable for hundreds of millions of dollars because: Peacekeeping soldiers were coming into Haiti from countries that had a cholera problem. These soldiers were not adequately screened.Untreated wastes from a UN base were dumped directly into a tributary of the Artibonite, the country's longest and most important river.The UN did not respond to the epidemic adequatelyThe cholera victims are demanding: A public apologyIndividual compensationAn adequate nationwide response by the United Nations. This must include medical treatment for sick people today, future victims, clean water, and sanitation infrastructure.BAI Managing Attorney Mario Joseph said:
"This is an opportunity for the United Nations to demonstrate that its stated ideals of eliminating disease and encour¬ag¬ing respect for rights are not just empty promises."
IJ DH Director, Brian Concannon, said:
"The majority of the petition's facts come from UN reports. The UN developed much of the law we cite. Our clients are challenging the instit¬tion to act consistently with what it knows to be true and just."
According to some media reports, such as CNN, those who became ill are demanding $50,000 each, while those who lost loved ones demand $100,000.
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
MLA
8 Dec. 2011.
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posted by Vale on 9 Nov 2011 at 2:10 pm
A third world country gets destroyed by an earthquake, and it's the UN's fault that there was an epidemic?
Tell you what, next time a natural disaster sends you back to the stone age feel free to fix it yourself.
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posted by chris on 15 Nov 2011 at 3:13 pm
There are 2 issues here. Firstly whether or not this is true and secondly who is going to benefit from a trial such as this.
Obviously if it is the case, lessons need to be learned, but how were the UN to know? Must everyone be quarantined before deployment to make sure they have no infectious illness? Lawsuits like this are part of reason why there is so much red-tape in the world today. Some necessary, most not. An enquiry is enough, and by all means push for one. A lawsuit is outrageous.
The lawyers involved need stringing up. The majority of the 5000 victims are probably being lied to and led along, and are not aware of the potential ramifications.
The only winners will be the lawyers, and the only losers will be poor countries which suffer disasters in the future, to whom the UN will have to say 'sorry we cant help, it's not worth the risk'.
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