Thomson Reuters Foundation: What helping Haiti teaches us about global public health
David Nabarro, U.K.’s candidate for director general of the WHO

“…The scale of [effort to respond to the cholera epidemic in Haiti] really does depend on funding, and there remains a serious shortfall in both the response to cholera and the repair of livelihoods following the hurricane. Here are my suggestions to the international community on how we address these issues: Firstly — recognition. … Secondly — reassurance. … Third — a request. … Funds are sorely needed … As executor for a trust fund set up by the U.N., I am responsible to ensure all funds we receive are used as efficiently and effectively as possible. Over the next three years, we will require at least $400M to support the Haiti Cholera Response. We not only ensure that donors have a say in how the funds are used, but we will also ensure that funds are properly applied to both the cholera response and to enabling all Haitians to have access to drinkable water and sanitation. Pressures on donor countries to top-up the coffers of humanitarian agencies working in war situations are important and well understood. But the needs of the people of Haiti … are less well documented. They need and deserve our attention: they rely on the support we are able to afford them” (1/12).