[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
#1482: "Haiti, the poorest country ..., " AIDS, etc (fwd)
From: Max Blanchet <MaxBlanchet@worldnet.att.net>
I am much less concerned about how Haiti is
characterized than I am disturbed about the
reality that Haiti is ranked 152nd in the world
on the basis of the human development index
(HDI) published yearly by the UN Development
Program in its "Human Development Report."
HDI takes into account GNP per capita as well
as longevity and the level of education.
We are indeed in very bad shape and I am much
more interested in the steps being taken by the
Haitian Government and society at large to remedy
the terrible predicament the vast majority of Haitians
finds itself in today than I am about how we are
perceived by others.
As a matter of fact, the argument might logically be made
that once we deal effectively with the former, the latter
might very well take care of itself, at least in part.
Some of the older folks on the list might recall how
China and South Korea, even India, were perceived
50 years ago.
Likewise, with AIDS!
We all know how badly how we were treated by CDC
and the US media. And how strongly the diaspora reacted
to this outrage.
But, the fact remains that seroprevalence is approximately
7% in Haiti and growing. This translates roughly into 560,000
of our people, mostly our young, with the virus. And unless
the problem is dealt with, we can easily project that one
fourth of our people will have the virus within the next 20 years.
This is no joke!
Parts of Africa are already there!
What is being done about this plague?
We know that in Haiti where the health budget amounts
to less than $5 per capita per year, very little can be
expected by way of treatment to check and roll back AIDS.
What about our political, religious, cultural leaders gettting
together as part of a vast and energetic media campaign to
educate and sensitize our youth about this plague?
One would think that on this one issue which involves the
very survival of our country, they should be able to put their
differences aside to achieve a common front in a common fight.
This is not asking too much.
After all, Museweni in Ouganda has done just that and is
credited by many with having brought AIDS growth to a halt.
Angle ekri, angle konprann!!!