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Deadly River: Cholera and Cover-Up in Post-Earthquake Haiti
In October 2010, nine months after the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti, a second disaster began to unfold soon to become the world's largest cholera epidemic in modern times. In a country that had never before reported cholera, the epidemic mysteriously and simultaneously appeared in river communities of central Haiti, eventually triggering nearly 800,000 cases and 9,000 deaths. What had caused the first cases of cholera in Haiti in recorded history? Who or what was the deadly agent of origin? Why did it explode in the agricultural-rich delta of the Artibonite River? When answers were few, rumors spread, causing social and political consequences of their own. Wanting insight, the Haitian government and French embassy requested epidemiological assistance from France. A few weeks into the epidemic, physician and infectious disease specialist Renaud Piarroux arrived in Haiti.
In Deadly River, Ralph R. Frerichs tells the story of the epidemic of a French disease detective determined to trace its origins so that he could help contain the spread and possibly eliminate the disease and the political intrigue that has made that effort so difficult. The story involves political maneuvering by powerful organizations such as the United Nations and its peacekeeping troops in Haiti, as well as by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Frerichs explores a quest for scientific truth and dissects a scientific disagreement involving world-renowned cholera experts who find themselves embroiled in intellectual and political turmoil in a poverty-stricken country.
Frerichs's narrative highlights how the world s wealthy nations, nongovernmental agencies, and international institutions respond when their interests clash with the needs of the world s most vulnerable people. The story poses big social questions and offers insights not only on how to eliminate cholera in Haiti but also how nations, NGOs, and international organizations such as the UN and CDC deal with catastrophic infectious disease epidemics."
In Deadly River, Ralph R. Frerichs tells the story of the epidemic of a French disease detective determined to trace its origins so that he could help contain the spread and possibly eliminate the disease and the political intrigue that has made that effort so difficult. The story involves political maneuvering by powerful organizations such as the United Nations and its peacekeeping troops in Haiti, as well as by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Frerichs explores a quest for scientific truth and dissects a scientific disagreement involving world-renowned cholera experts who find themselves embroiled in intellectual and political turmoil in a poverty-stricken country.
Frerichs's narrative highlights how the world s wealthy nations, nongovernmental agencies, and international institutions respond when their interests clash with the needs of the world s most vulnerable people. The story poses big social questions and offers insights not only on how to eliminate cholera in Haiti but also how nations, NGOs, and international organizations such as the UN and CDC deal with catastrophic infectious disease epidemics."
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 9, 2016
Nine months after the catastrophic January 2010 earthquake that took over 220,000 lives, UN 'peacekeeping' troops from Nepal brought cholera to Haiti and unleashed an epidemic that continues to this day. It is estimated that 7% of Haitians now carry the bacteria; over 8000 have died. Yet, the UN denies culpability (although Ban Ki Moon has indicated that he understands the origin of the disease) and continues to fight "the most organized challenge to UN immunity yet" (
New York Times
).
Deadly River explores the history of the investigation into cholera by telling the story of French epidemiologist Renaud Piarroux, who was invited by the Haitian government to study the emerging infection. Frerichs worked closely with Piarroux as well as relying heavily on journalistic accounts and official documents in weaving this tale about the intersections of politics and science.
From the moment that Piarroux's investigations began suggesting UN-troops as a cause, his efforts were obfuscated, thwarted, and misrepresented by politicians the world over, including some in Haiti, who were relying on UN-peacekeeping forces to maintain lawfulness during a contested election season. Frerichs's engaging story conducts itself like a thrilling mystery in which we follow Piarroux along the course of his investigations - to villages in Haiti, to France, to official hearings and boardrooms. I simply loved the ways in which Frerich brings out the exciting 'detecting' element of scientific research - he presents clues about the discovery of cholera's origin as they unfolded for Piarroux, offering a fascinating look into how a large-scale scientific exploration with political implications takes shape.
But Deadly River is not just a scientific-research journey; Frerichs presents an abbreviated science of cholera and epidemiology of cholera pandemics, and focuses extensively on efforts by the UN, ambassadors from various countries, the US of course (including the CDC), etc - to politicize the science in order to protect their interventionist efforts.
Ah, the eternal story of colonization: "world powers" settle into a region to ostensibly offer protection or support (or, not so long ago, to offer "culture" and "civilization"), but end up sowing other forms of devastation in their wake. Deadly River is an excellent case-study into this sadly vast field.
I have one complaint which brings my rating down to 4. Perhaps this is not a flaw as much as a misalignment of my expectations and Frerich's purpose and scope. Deadly River would more aptly be subtitled - "One Doctor's Journey into Fighting Politics in the Name of Science - the Haitian Cholera Episode". Because, as much as Frerichs does name other players, they are but tangential to Piarroux. And, as much as he purports to be writing in the name of justice for the people of Haiti, he's actually just writing in the name of science, for Piarroux, because he does not include accounts of actual Haitians, except as described fleetingly by foreign doctors, aid workers, and the like.
What I'd love to read after this, and a needed companion, would be an oral history of cholera in Haiti (wish someone would recruit Svetlana Alexievich for this). While I understand that perhaps Haitian voices fell out of Frerich's scope, he does make pronouncements and conclusions as if his believes his work to be for justice. But how can you talk about justice when you haven't spoken with one person this crisis affected directly? That kind of imposed justice is no better in some ways than the UN's sincere efforts to help after the Haitian earthquake. It consists of decisions and appraisals from afar, by armchair experts who don't bother to consult the people on the ground, and it smacks of its own flavor of colonialism.
Still, an engaging, scientifically and politically significant work that touches on an important but entirely overlooked (in US journalism at least) modern-day crisis caused by Western interventionist, colonial/imperial policies.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are solely mine.
Deadly River explores the history of the investigation into cholera by telling the story of French epidemiologist Renaud Piarroux, who was invited by the Haitian government to study the emerging infection. Frerichs worked closely with Piarroux as well as relying heavily on journalistic accounts and official documents in weaving this tale about the intersections of politics and science.
From the moment that Piarroux's investigations began suggesting UN-troops as a cause, his efforts were obfuscated, thwarted, and misrepresented by politicians the world over, including some in Haiti, who were relying on UN-peacekeeping forces to maintain lawfulness during a contested election season. Frerichs's engaging story conducts itself like a thrilling mystery in which we follow Piarroux along the course of his investigations - to villages in Haiti, to France, to official hearings and boardrooms. I simply loved the ways in which Frerich brings out the exciting 'detecting' element of scientific research - he presents clues about the discovery of cholera's origin as they unfolded for Piarroux, offering a fascinating look into how a large-scale scientific exploration with political implications takes shape.
But Deadly River is not just a scientific-research journey; Frerichs presents an abbreviated science of cholera and epidemiology of cholera pandemics, and focuses extensively on efforts by the UN, ambassadors from various countries, the US of course (including the CDC), etc - to politicize the science in order to protect their interventionist efforts.
Ah, the eternal story of colonization: "world powers" settle into a region to ostensibly offer protection or support (or, not so long ago, to offer "culture" and "civilization"), but end up sowing other forms of devastation in their wake. Deadly River is an excellent case-study into this sadly vast field.
I have one complaint which brings my rating down to 4. Perhaps this is not a flaw as much as a misalignment of my expectations and Frerich's purpose and scope. Deadly River would more aptly be subtitled - "One Doctor's Journey into Fighting Politics in the Name of Science - the Haitian Cholera Episode". Because, as much as Frerichs does name other players, they are but tangential to Piarroux. And, as much as he purports to be writing in the name of justice for the people of Haiti, he's actually just writing in the name of science, for Piarroux, because he does not include accounts of actual Haitians, except as described fleetingly by foreign doctors, aid workers, and the like.
What I'd love to read after this, and a needed companion, would be an oral history of cholera in Haiti (wish someone would recruit Svetlana Alexievich for this). While I understand that perhaps Haitian voices fell out of Frerich's scope, he does make pronouncements and conclusions as if his believes his work to be for justice. But how can you talk about justice when you haven't spoken with one person this crisis affected directly? That kind of imposed justice is no better in some ways than the UN's sincere efforts to help after the Haitian earthquake. It consists of decisions and appraisals from afar, by armchair experts who don't bother to consult the people on the ground, and it smacks of its own flavor of colonialism.
Still, an engaging, scientifically and politically significant work that touches on an important but entirely overlooked (in US journalism at least) modern-day crisis caused by Western interventionist, colonial/imperial policies.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are solely mine.
February 27, 2017
I had been hoping to go to Haiti as an aid volunteer in the wake of the 7.0 earthquake in January 2010. An outbreak of cholera stopped aid workers from travelling. Consequently I was interested in this account of how the cholera reached an island which had never had a single reported case and the tragedy that unfolded.
Renaud Piarroux had studied diseases and worked in many countries. The Haitian government asked him to provide expertise as he had actually managed to eliminate cholera from an African island when with Medecins du Monde. Ralph R. Frerichs had followed his blog posts and worked with him to write this book about the situation.
A river was the initial source of the outbreak, and then as ill people were moved to a hospital which could not cope, the disease spread to the plentiful rice paddies. Piarroux had to work with people on the ground and local government even to find the numbers and locations of cases, the likely sources of contaminants and routes taken by people to get around the island. The United Nations apparently put obstacles in his way when it began to seem that troops from Nepal could have carried this strain - the strain found in the patients had only previously been seen in Nepal.
As well as the history of cholera, the appalling medical challenge and death toll, we see the case through the eyes of investigative reporters who walked up to the Nepalese army camp and found a disgusting overflowing septic tank and broken sewage pipe. Jonathan Katz published in an online version of 'La Presse', a Canadian newspaper, while Sebastian Walker televised a report containing the opposite of UN statements. Deborah Pasmantier also put the pieces together from available data and published widely on the net. Well done.
Medical field workers, charities, journalists, epidemiologists, hydrologists, anyone working in strategic planning or world geopolitics, and those looking at how the truth or censorship is uncovered, will find this book tragic, disturbing, memorable and fascinating.
For more looks at Haiti after the earthquake and the flood of aid money to be soaked up by major firms which arrived to provide services, and NGOs, leaving the city still largely unrepaired and a minimum wage garment factory a long way from town, though residents can now use cellphones and bank online, I recommend:
The Disaster Profiteers: How Natural Disasters Make the Rich Richer and the Poor Even Poorer
Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering
Disaster Capitalism.
I downloaded this ARC from Net Galley for unbiased review.
Renaud Piarroux had studied diseases and worked in many countries. The Haitian government asked him to provide expertise as he had actually managed to eliminate cholera from an African island when with Medecins du Monde. Ralph R. Frerichs had followed his blog posts and worked with him to write this book about the situation.
A river was the initial source of the outbreak, and then as ill people were moved to a hospital which could not cope, the disease spread to the plentiful rice paddies. Piarroux had to work with people on the ground and local government even to find the numbers and locations of cases, the likely sources of contaminants and routes taken by people to get around the island. The United Nations apparently put obstacles in his way when it began to seem that troops from Nepal could have carried this strain - the strain found in the patients had only previously been seen in Nepal.
As well as the history of cholera, the appalling medical challenge and death toll, we see the case through the eyes of investigative reporters who walked up to the Nepalese army camp and found a disgusting overflowing septic tank and broken sewage pipe. Jonathan Katz published in an online version of 'La Presse', a Canadian newspaper, while Sebastian Walker televised a report containing the opposite of UN statements. Deborah Pasmantier also put the pieces together from available data and published widely on the net. Well done.
Medical field workers, charities, journalists, epidemiologists, hydrologists, anyone working in strategic planning or world geopolitics, and those looking at how the truth or censorship is uncovered, will find this book tragic, disturbing, memorable and fascinating.
For more looks at Haiti after the earthquake and the flood of aid money to be soaked up by major firms which arrived to provide services, and NGOs, leaving the city still largely unrepaired and a minimum wage garment factory a long way from town, though residents can now use cellphones and bank online, I recommend:
The Disaster Profiteers: How Natural Disasters Make the Rich Richer and the Poor Even Poorer
Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering
Disaster Capitalism.
I downloaded this ARC from Net Galley for unbiased review.
November 15, 2016
An eye-opening look at the lengths nationally recognized organizations will go to to prevent the public from discovering the source of a cholera outbreak in order to keep political ties between Haiti's government and the UN. Not so easy to keep said tie when the UN's MINUSTAH workers were the ones who brought cholera to Haiti... years of misdirection of aid efforts kept the epidemic in Haiti (it's still there). A cautionary tale in what happens when the search for the source of an outbreak is ignored.
On a lighter note, it is still possible to end the epidemic of cholera in Haiti, by improving water and sanitation.
On a lighter note, it is still possible to end the epidemic of cholera in Haiti, by improving water and sanitation.
May 4, 2016
Very informative without going over the average reader's head. The author and subject's compassion for the local people, and passion for science really shown through. The only real negative was that it seemed a bit repetitive at times.
I received a copy of Deadly River from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of Deadly River from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2016
A must read for anyone interested in how politics can effect health care
Reads like a mystery
Reads like a mystery
Read
August 16, 2016very very good
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews