Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed deep concern over the escalating number of cholera cases in Haiti, particularly within the West department. The latest figures released by Haitian health authorities indicate a troubling uptick in the disease, with 2,852 suspected cases, 186 confirmed cases, and 48 deaths recorded between January 1 and October 30 this year.

The outbreak has hit hardest in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and its surrounding areas, where the health infrastructure is teetering on the brink of collapse. Compounding the crisis, only 25% of Haitian households possess adequate handwashing facilities, and a staggering 70% are without proper sanitation systems, according to data from the United Nations.

Adding to the complexity of the situation is the severe insecurity driven by criminal groups, which has displaced over 1.4 million people this year alone. These individuals often find themselves in overcrowded settlements devoid of clean water, making them particularly vulnerable to cholera—a disease that thrives in such conditions.

Efforts to combat the spread of cholera are being severely undermined by the gang dominance in crucial areas, which restricts humanitarian access. This is occurring against the backdrop of heavy rains brought by Hurricane Melissa, which further deteriorate the already fragile infrastructure and heighten the risk of disease spread.

Diana Manilla Arroyo of Médecins Sans Frontières highlights that these conditions "create ideal conditions for outbreaks to spread." Nathalye Cotrino, Senior Americas Researcher at HRW, emphasized the dire nature of the crisis: “Cholera is once again threatening thousands of lives in Haiti because people lack access to the most basic services: clean water, sanitation, and medical care. Haitians need serious government and international efforts to address the outbreak and avoid more preventable deaths.”

HRW is calling on Haiti’s transitional government to take urgent measures to repair the national water and sewage network, ensure safe humanitarian access to high-risk areas, and restore the functionality of public health institutions. The rights group also advocates for an end to the deportations to Haiti from countries like the Dominican Republic and the United States, which have seen over 225,000 deportations this year.

This cholera crisis is not new to Haiti; the country has been grappling with the disease since 2010, when sewage from a UN peacekeeping base leaked into a major river. This incident led to approximately 9,800 deaths and an eventual apology from the UN in 2016. The current resurgence of cholera underlines the continuous vulnerability of Haiti’s population due to inadequate infrastructure and healthcare services.