Haiti two weeks on

It has now been two weeks since the Haiti earthquake, and on top of the 150,000 dead in the capital city, the problems are mounting.

The official search for bodies buried under the rubble has been called off and attention has now been diverted to caring for those still alive.

This is proving to be no small task. Aid agencies have said Haiti's earthquake is quite simply one of the worst disasters they have ever handled.

Apart from the natural challenges of being the western hemisphere’s poorest country, there are many reasons why aid has been slow to reach the people.

When the US first took over control of the airport on day four, there were complaints that aid flights were held back to make way for US military flights.

In their defence, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell remarked on BBC that the priority in such an emergency is to restore order so that aid deliveries do not become an all-out brawl. He says the only way to restore order is with a troop presence.

In any case, the airport is not equipped to deal with the volume of flights arriving. There have been huge backlogs, with some flights circling for hours or being diverted to the neighbouring Dominican Republic.

Once on the ground, getting it from ‘wholesale’ to ‘retail’ aid has been a problem as well.

Roads are damaged or full of people and traffic, meaning travel takes hours. Until now, trucks and fuel have been in short supply. On some streets, fallen power lines lie alongside burst water pipes.

Workers now have to clear the rubble with diggers even though people may still be trapped inside.

Some supplies from the UN’s World Food Programme have been confirmed stolen by officials instead of going to those most in need.

All these obstacles mean starving and thirsty crowds are still difficult to organise in orderly queues, despite the increase in UN and US military personnel.

For example, after overhearing the deputy mayor telling a reporter people would not do anything stupid, one lady replied “I have lost my child, have no food or water, my house is destroyed, and I have not been registered on any list of displaced. What makes you think I will not lose my mind?”

Indeed, due to the loss of medical equipment and staff, and a lack of early aid, people’s health is the main concern.

Several thousand earthquake victims with treatable wounds to their arms and legs are now getting them amputated because of avoidable gangrene.

Infections from such wounds can spread, as well as diseases from decaying bodies, makeshift bathrooms and a lack of clean water.

All Haiti’s remaining and temporary hospitals are full and face many dilemmas.

Treated patients want to stay because they no longer have a home and need follow-up care. However, beds are needed by those who have yet to be treated. Even patients’ families want to move in to take advantage of the shelter, food and water.

Many of Haiti’s open spaces are being occupied by such homeless people. Large gatherings like those in sports stadiums are more likely to receive food due to distribution efficiencies.

Unfortunately, the damaged roads have caused lots of small gatherings instead, and many are afraid to leave their damaged homes for fear of looting.

This is a well-founded fear. All of the 4,000-plus inmates from Port-au-Prince’s main prison escaped after overpowering and killing the guards. The situation is both desperate and dangerous.

Thousands of people are waiting at the seaport to flee the capital in boats to the village of Jeremie, which was not affected by the earthquake. Many jump in the water and climb aboard overcrowded boats.

The Haitian authorities are encouraging people to leave the capital by offering free buses to other parts of the country.

The government is doing its best to run the country out of a police station as it looks to deal with the crisis and the reconstruction efforts.

They asked for US$3 billion from international donors at a conference in Montreal on Monday – $2bn for housing and $1bn for government ministries and national infrastructure.

New tented villages are being planned for the homeless, including one outside the capital which will house 400,000 people.

Suggestions have been made to cancel Haiti’s international debt which is totalling $890 million.

Yet it all remains to be seen. The conference was only a one-day preliminary meeting to outline a plan for future talks.

Haitians and aid agencies can’t wait though. While the suffering continues, they are starting to pick up the pieces, and begin the long road to recovery.

By The Casual Truth

Photo/UN Photo – Haitians in the slum of Cite Soleil queue for food supplies. Photo by Sophia Paris