Life threatening nutritional problems in Haiti after the quake – A devastating health situation
Dr.Happy Lantin | Feb 10, 2010 | Comments 0
Even after the recent earthquake last January 12, 2010, the country of Haiti has yet been facing another health crisis. Another medical emergency emerged in forms of spreading diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, and malnutrition which resulted on several deaths. With millions of people crowded in several camps used as their temporary shelter, people are exposed to germs and any identified contagious diseases possible. Even health officials are concerned of possible outbreak and epidemics and in attempt to prevent spreading of diseases, 530,000 children were vaccinated against measles, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. Because of this another stage of health crisis in Haiti, health professionals wants to address the significance of proper nutrition among individuals suffering from several acquired diseases. According to UNICEF, ensuring proper nutrition among the vulnerable individuals, such may include mothers and young children, may actually aid in preventing opportunistic sicknesses and any damaging physical and mental health. In addition, the weight of nutritional problems in Haiti was made worst by the recent calamity they encountered.
In Haiti, there are children who die with hunger and dehydration. Their current health situation made infants, children, and women vulnerable to nutritional problems. There are breastfeeding mothers who failed to lactate due to the trauma caused by the quake. In this manner, infants are fed with food they cannot digest. Ignorance and lack of health education also poses great influence on health survival.
Health workers in Haiti are concerned with malnutrition since lack of appropriate food among children may be life threatening. In fact, breast-feeding is one of the best solutions to prevent infant diarrhea and so a mother’s ability to lactate influences the infant’s survival. According to UNICEF child nutrition expert, Mija Ververs, shock and trauma can cause a mother to stop lactating. She noted that breast-feeding gives the best nutritional chance for babies to survive behind the health crisis in Haiti and it also protects the child against diseases by providing immunity. Doctors advocate breast feeding especially when mothers are living in camps where scarcity of clean water to sterilize feeding bottles is a problem.
The earthquake in Haiti placed a significant weight over the nutritional problems of the country. Health crisis has further increased the need for nutritional help among the vulnerable population affected such may include mothers and their children; and also to children whose mothers have died. Without any substantial nutritional response, it is quite possible that Haiti may experience severe malnutrition. Nutritional needs of people in this country must be met to address not only the country’s health crisis but also their recovery from the devastating earthquake event.
The health situation and nutritional status of Haiti before the earthquake was already unfavorable due to lack of medical resources and health awareness. Some health crisis and nutritional problems were made worst due to ignorance and lack of health education among people. Because nutrition is detrimental to an individual’s health; especially among children, there is a need for a significant response to help these people in need. Proper health education may help people in Haiti to understand the proper feeding patterns for children which in turn may also prevent certain acquired diseases. Since traumatic events negatively affect lactation, counseling for breastfeeding mothers is significantly important. Allocating enough and appropriate funds for nutrition is also a great help in order to provide essential food sources among infants, children, mothers, and other people suffering from hunger.
REFERENCES:
http://democratherald.com/news/world/article
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