Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Prevention and Treatment of Cholera in Haiti

Abstract

It has been two years since an earthquake devastated Haiti, and over a year since the outbreak of cholera. On a recent medical mission to a rural village in Haiti, the authors staffed a medical clinic and made home visits on motorcycle into the remote mountain regions to treat patients who were unable to attend the clinic. Their major emphasis was patient education including the prevention of cholera. Because there is no hospital and no doctor in the area and most births occur in the home, the authors were also charged with teaching homebirth classes to untrained midwives who spoke only Creole. During the clinics, home visits, and classes, they became extremely aware of the importance of breastfeeding in the prevention of cholera. A banner over the main intersection in the village stated in Creole, Bay tibebe yo tete pou pwoteje yo kont malady Kolera(English translation: "Give small babies your breast to protect them from the malady of Cholera"). The banner bears the logos of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and that of UNICEF (see Figure 1). Despite the obviously robust breastfed babies, the authors encountered a pervasive lack of knowledge about breastfeeding, and fielded many questions related to recommended duration of breastfeeding and ways to build a waning milk supply. Many opportunities arose for promotion of exclusive breastfeeding for extended periods to preserve the lives and ensure the health of their infants. The purpose of this article is to describe the conditions in Haiti, the effects of the earthquake and cholera outbreak of 2010, and the importance of promoting exclusive breastfeeding in these extraordinary circumstances.