“The Secretary-General deeply regrets the awful suffering the people of Haiti have endured as a result of the cholera epidemic”, said Farhan Haq, a spokesman for Ban, addressing reporters Friday at the UN’s Manhattan headquarters.
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UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Thursday at a press briefing, “Over the course of the past year, the UN has become convinced that it needs to do much more regarding its own involvement in the initial outbreak and the suffering of those infected by cholera”.
A class action suit was brought on behalf of victims of a cholera outbreak in Haiti contending UN peacekeeping forces from Nepal brought the disease to the island nation following a massive natural disaster in January 2010, which killed more than 220,000 people and displaced 1.5 million.
Boys lie on cholera beds, cots with a hole cut into the center and a bucket underneath, in the intake tent at a cholera clinic set up by Medecins sans Frontieres in the Tabarre neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, November 19, 2010. A United States federal appeals panel in NY later upheld immunity for the UN and dismissed a case against the organisation on behalf of cholera victims. “Our goal has always been to secure remedies for victims, whether in or out of court and we will keep working through all available forums until that occurs”.
In a statement, Haq mentioned that the United Nations is required to do “much more” to bring the suffering of the affected people to an end, and promised that a notable fresh set of United Nations actions is going to be presented publicly in the tenure of approaching couple of months.
“We have considered all of plaintiffs’ arguments on appeal and find them to be without merit”, the USA appellate judges said. However, UN officials have insisted that the origin of the epidemic is undetermined.
“The United Nations has a moral responsibility to the victims of the cholera epidemic and for supporting Haiti in overcoming the epidemic and building sound water, sanitation and health systems”, his spokesman’s statement said.
He said details of the package are still under discussion.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 55 per cent of the population living in poverty. Sewage is rarely treated and safe water remains inaccessible to many.
Ban also wants efforts to improve access to care and treatment.
“Despite repeated appeals, these efforts have been seriously underfunded, and severe and persistent funding shortfalls remain. And I know it is still out there, that cholera disease”, she said outside her plywood and sheet metal home.
For decades, the UN has stood by the Haitian people, supporting them in their quest for democracy and the strengthening of their institutions and helping to rebuild the nation after the tragic natural disaster of 2010, the statement said and added: “The secretary-general and the United Nations as a whole are determined to continue this support, honour the people of Haiti and help them usher in a more peaceful and prosperous future”. In March, an average of 37 cholera deaths a month were recorded.
His statement on United Nations involvement was first reported by The New York Times. The organization has established anti-cholera and sanitation programs in cooperation with the Haitian government.
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United Nations deputy spokesman Farhan Haq’s statement referring to the U.N.’s “own involvement”, which was sent to The Associated Press on Thursday, came a step closer to an admission of at least some responsibility and was welcomed by lawyers for the victims. This includes the preparation of derivative works of, or the incorporation of such content into other works. For the protection of AP and its licensors, content may not be copied, altered or redistributed in any form. Please see our terms of service for more information.
