Every time one of Haiti’s problems rises to the surface, various religious fanatics exploit the tragedy to spread false rumors about Vodou. Hopefully, this time, Haitian and foreign pastors will not distort reality and link the cholera epidemic to Haiti’s African Heritage. The public must beware of those who will invent a supernatural origin for the epidemic and divert attention from preventive measures and from treatments known to be effective against the spread of the bacteria. For countless evangelicals (evil-gelicals?), how cholera arrived to Haiti will be unimportant compared to their need to exploit this human tragedy and falsely blame Vodou.It’s vital that the public understand that the cause of the disease is known and so is its treatment.
The Cholera epidemic in Haiti is most closely linked to the lack of safe water and to the lack of adequate facilities for the disposal of human waste. It is these problems that we need to address. The urgency of the situation requires that we address these short comings head-on without self-serving diversions.