eruption to one in 1902 and that ended up killing over one and a half 1000 people so a great deal of concern about developments there well you can read more about that on our website al-jazeera dot com. a recap of the headlines now israel's prime minister says iran is the greatest threat in the region but he won't allow the country to obtain nuclear capability this comes after iran describes sunday's attack on its main nuclear facility as an act of terrorism and vowed revenge the incident comes as both iran and the u.s. try to salvage teheran's nuclear deal with while palace george floyd's brother felonious is testified in the trial of derek chauvin in minneapolis george floyd's brother. in speaking it gave a test me for about 15 minutes or

a quarter of an hour in which he described the role of his brother in his family life and also in the community we also heard earlier on from a cardiologist who testified that george floyd's death was preventable in what's known as the spark of life testimony we heard a bit more about george floyd's life. but also this comes just when that brooklyn centers police chief says the officer who shot unarmed black man dante right during a traffic stop on sunday accidentally fired a gun based on footage captured on body cameras he said the officer mistook the gun for a taser right shooting was less than 20 kilometers away from where george floyd was killed is my belief that view officer had the intention to deploy their taser but instead shot mr wright with a single bullet. this appears to me from what i viewed in the officer's reaction in

distress immediately after that this was an accidental discharge the resulted in the tragic death of mr wright the world health organization is warning that the covert 1000 pandemic is growing exponentially 4400000 new cases were reported last week alone and it has now surpassed brazil as the country with the 2nd highest number of infections in the world by the united states. stuff of the russian prison housing jelled kremlin critic alexina valmy threatening to force feed him and ali's on hunger strike protesting his treatment supporters say he's lost 15 kilograms since arriving at the facility last month those are the headlines the stream is next asking if haiti has lost its fight against the coronavirus.

for me ok today on the street we focus on haiti a country that is yet to see a single covered 19 vaccine some haitians are even struggling to be able to afford covert 19 basic safety precautions. that the state government is supposed to give us masks to wear for the coronavirus but they don't give us the masks and we don't know where to go and buy them they sell them at too high a price for us to be able to afford it we're poor we can't afford them therefore we don't wear masks. meanwhile presence of an elmo yes of haiti is facing some political opposition the economy is struggling and also there's an

uptick in gang violence is so much to talk about in haiti right now please help me do that jump into the comment section and be part of today's show. joining our conversation mr joseph jacqueline got a pop and jessica nice to see you guessed you for being with us today mr joseph introduce yourself what if you are what you do. think you are. the minister of foreign affairs and or ship and it's jacqueline it has been a friend of the stream she's been on the street many times welcome back jack and i remind our audience who you are what you do thanks for having me on jacqueline charles some of the caribbean correspondents at the miami herald but the problem to the stream introduce yourself to our global audience let it be bob director or

gives you said jersey border pretty t. the most of course is an office of medicine of the world cornell medical college of new york and jessica good to see you tell asked him what he is who you are what you do you know hi my name's just go over i mean journalist and filmmaker based here in haiti welcome everybody thought to pop let's just start with the very basics how is haiti doing regarding the covert 19 pandemic how many people are sick how many people passed away how are you handling it. well i must tell you that the world who had a doubt the catastrophe exceeds ration that would have occurred and he did occur. in total to what he did in $52.00 debts we have about $30.00 and people would be to check that but i suspect that this number is virtually 0 or i would reach you played by 20 because we didn't test every single person we only

tested people who are symptomatic and who came to our centers but we are not seeing a single wave at this time and we are looking into why this is happening it's fascinating that we are not seeing much closer to god now we had carnival we had reopened schools we had to open airports and nothing happened so i presume based on some of that that we have that we reach some kind of quality the immunity in the british does about this is so strange astri said i'm just looking here at covert figures for haiti and of course any country's figures are not going to be absolutely accurate as you're not going to be out to test every single person and also there's not a lot of testing going on in haiti anyway but look here a number of cases 12000 dest 2510 that's extraordinary neighboring next door to dominican republic they've had 258000 cases

a more than 3000 people have done late this is something just that you have looked into what siri do you have. so i had written an article for of the new humanitarian about vaccine has a tendency to the reality is that the death toll and confirmed cases are quite unreliable less than $60000.00 tests administered in haiti rather than the $1300000.00 and dominican republic with roughly the same population size also most tasks are quite an affordable to the general public they cost about $90.00 is just not possible for most patients and most people actually doctors like spoken to both in port au prince and in the provinces have mentioned that most people don't go to . their hospitals when they have a fever or a flu there was all bought it stick mad to beginning with the pet pandemic so

instead it's kind of been denuded as a as a different fever not coronavirus so the people dying at home they are going undiagnosed it's not being counted as cope it had to have it just. got here yes docs ahead of work been working in haiti for 40 years or lifted up from children and. then. call their etc i can tell you that we have group due to workers working in the slums we live there if we had a lot of coffee debts we would up though. this is the reality or. underlying condition i know. but i let me just say let me just save us now and say to. one more and let me just go to jacqueline and then i'm going to go to the minister and you know i'm just going to build on i'm just going to build up dr props point because i did

a story about this and i was in haiti during cholera and i remember the bodies being thrown into streets left industry you saw people running with bodies sick people on the near death on the on planks and that is obvious that we have not had that in haiti yes you can you can question a numbers you can question the figures but the reality is also is that we have not seen any anecdotal evidence of large numbers of unexplained death that we saw in ecuador that we've been seeing in brazil the question fundamentally is why is this we know we're dealing with a country where over 50 percent of the population is young so you don't have that you know older population you do have some culpability people do treat it as if it's just a fever but they're also treating it you know with different herbs and different in different teas there is a question to be asked part let's be real part of country a school's down it doesn't have the amount of tourism that we've seen next door in

dominican republic and we see how this is how this virus moves so there is a legitimate question there but i agree with dr pappas that when we look at the history of haiti and the disease in the past there has been no you know evidence to have you believe there we have a situation in haiti where you hat like in ecuador or brazil or other countries where you see his explosion and people are dying in large numbers unaccounted for so many say almost feels like haiti has dodged a bullet for the moment is that to do with how the government is monitoring it in terms of the cove 819 for him to make. thank you listen so as i concur with the bob and jacqueline had we actually have many a quality death in haiti everyone would know its days no such thing we we need also to mention that the government has been the block too since the beginning with

close schools universities port and airports so we need to also take into account bills of palm it is i do believe that the government has to be in a fit of efficient and managing a $1000.00 and hates it so it's clear that we lose countries according to that actually base money does the calls weeknights and of course we need also to understand what a fuck does that help us compared to our neighbor the making of a public why we fare so away we did so good and. i want to disagree with you i think that the government's handling of whole of it has been rather rather chaotic i mean i think that haiti has managed to dodge a bullet but let me just say one of the worrying thing stan it's happened is that when you look at today for instance the state department you know put haiti under

a travel forewarning and they specifically also mentioned the cole that because it's on the c.d.c. so they are not they are saying to us they don't believe the numbers the bahamas also effective today has another ban on travel to and from haiti for the 3rd time that they're issuing this just this ban i mean i think that that you know that there's definitely an answer for the scientists and individuals like dr pap to realize but i think that yes in the beginning we saw some proactive decisions on the part of haiti being the 1st to say to people if you're coming in you're going to have to sell isolate but then that didn't happen we saw the rooms that were set aside for isolation they were going to people who were being deported from the united states 0 that's a whole other issue the whole of. and you see some of the images that are coming out and people may not be able or mass of people don't believe in mass and they don't want to be happy so i think that we have been lucky but i think that when we look at what's happening of papa new guinea and we look at what's happening in venezuela we the realization of these variants that the government can be more

proactive and that it is critical that you know people understand that while yes we're not seeing the number of deaths in haiti is a virus is real and that they should not just dismiss it as just a little fever so i guess let me move on now i mean let's leave want to a little bit because this is almost a medical mystery that we're not going to solve within the length of this program but i do want to push on just a little bit because where haiti is right now and it's been shocking some of our audience who are watching haiti doesn't have a single covert 19 vaccine the director of health ministry explained some of the challenges that haiti is anticipating when it even comes to getting the vaccine in country is have a listen. we need 1000000 those drugs if we have 3000000 doses of vaccine 1st do we have a safe place to store them 2nd do we have the capacity to use all those doses

before they expire because when you receive the vaccines and then start using them they could end up expiring we have to know all these details before we can start receiving vaccines and saying to people that those vaccines are available. but this is something the every country is having to think about whether they are a developing country or a developed country so is highty ready to get vaccines let me explain this is a complex issue because we have a vaccine center against you we've used vaccine against hiv it gets. in risky subtly we introduce oral could have that seen whenever you into it does not sit in a population it is essential that you do since it is issued in information into production. and i can tell you people tell you dead the government doesn't give them a skill i know that there are millions of boston that were provided do reason really

why people are not using mask because they could make them themselves it's really because they don't believe in the disease and didn't believe it because they don't see people dying that's really the issue they believe in calling it was easier so i think the government position. essentially is linked to the fact that we don't have a lot of people over the age of 65 so this is why the the government of vaccine mostly for older people it's only fair point 5 people 5 to 45 to 8 percent of people over to just $65.00 but most importantly it's convincing people to get it so dear friend to get vaccine and the vaccine sits there and expires so there needs to be a big we discussed this at a previous talk with their fire a disappointing dennett's to be a huge effort it has to several children diaspora that's what i did with the haitian middle callouses you should overseas and biggie should because that is

connection with the das right he that's what i did we've calling our that's what i did we're when it would use each of you vaccine so we did to do that 1st this is important and i think that the government is not against vaccine because they sign documents indicating that they want vaccines but they want to make sure that this is don't waste it and i think that the 1st step is that massive education campaign it's not going to be easy i can guarantee you but thought so what month is it it's april of the year. well enough i will pandemics us over a year and so you'll see a situation where you know persuading house since that covered on $911.00 excess minister how are you going to do that. i mean i know the the public health ministry is very proactive and as dr just said they are diligent it working to accept they refuse or at least they live locked in to choose

the. vaccine in they have the right to actually listen to a phone since about 6 committee to get clear. of which of the vaccines may work better for haiti so i think this is a where we know the i mean to his addition that exists among the population but the as dr pop said the government has already cited a document to accept the vaccine but which one i think days that discussion and this is something we should figure out pretty soon and start with it would have acted and i again we need to have a ham family and this is exactly what miss i'm just wondering how how quickly is pretty soon it doesn't feel like there's an awful lot of urgency because wrong hashes that don't really prove exists as a pandemic and to not that many people want dying. i mean the reality.

just. the minister of public kills who should he said that is going to be very very soon very soon we we we we express our concerns about astra zeneca and we see the waiting for him to actually see of you know to address those concerns right but right now there's only one vaccine that's available and that is astra zeneca me in the united states you have j. and j. it is a one shot vaccine it has not been approved by w.h.o. and the reality is because haiti is part of the kovacs $36.00 countries in the americas region are going to receive vaccines through this 10 of them including haiti are going to get it for free but haiti is only going to be able to get 20 percent of its population in terms of vaccines and that's a real reality that once you get the enough for your 2000000 individuals you will not be able to have any more you know any more vaccines so today there's one

vaccine astra zeneca and while you know we haven't moved to a global passport increasingly as a journalist i am seeing countries that are starting to act for people to be to be vaccinated and everyone agrees at least the signs agrees that we need to return immunity and we can't return immunity if one country is lacking it's understandable haiti's concerns but you know all of the scientists are saying out of europe is saying yes you know there are some concerns but the benefits outweigh the risk right now and by the time he actually led gabby know that they were prepared for this vaccine 9 countries in this region have already received their shipment of astra zeneca vaccine for cold such a jackhammer just remind our audience in calving chances that the vaccine alliance an alliance yeah we spoke we spoke to them we taught them about this he shall have a camera laptop the covert code that tracks the requests for invites countries to identify their preferred vaccine cut to a 6 as

a recent this to us in direct response. what is happening in haiti is going to skip towards the end here because that seeks to optimally meet the full range of country profits is subject to supply availability among other factors so may be a maybe the j.n.j. vaccine will be available but maybe it won't be. a comet i would love for you to listen to minister and this comment comes from a citizen of hope and he is concerned that the vaccine is not the biggest issue in haiti right now many other is way more important have a listen have a look 1st and foremost though is the deep mistrust in the illusion she between the haitian population in the government which is known for incapacity to poor id basic social services to this it is empty actually few people will die in heat because of night in haiti does not how do you call them all of it

made him seem right now what the problem of insecurity and bad governance so haitian people should be able to elaine by your own elite into official we followed their feelings of the international community. mr karr had yes yes listen he'd see has historically member of structural problems including a constitution that has not including a constitution that has undermined democratic barbarous desir we have an opportunity to just finally destruction a problems well right in the country with solid platform on which to build a stable democracy with functional parliament and strong institution this in. 2021 is a coup sure year for the country haiti success is dictated on holding free and fair

elections as. the professor just mentioned we need to hold elections so the people can elect their leaders and to finish with the cycles of instability and violence we need to change the constitution as 90 percent both inside and outside the country 90 percent of patients both inside and outside the country ask they want we just thing the constitution they want elections so and doesn't do any do we can have a peaceful transfer of power and then elected president will replace with those of their movies and have a climate of a nonviolent of stability to really lead the country to the better path so i'm just looking at minister and there are a number of people who let's just say the lack confidence in the haitian government if they let compass in the house of government this is even before kovac 19 happened how would i have confidence and and what you are saying the government is

trying to do right now when there are even though it looks like i may have escaped some of the last of the covered 90 pandemic to our life's at risk people's health is at risk in haiti. there's only one way to express your concern is through the but it is what you need to do if you do if you do not have faith in the government change it and it's in our democracy which choose election to actually change elected officials the government that's that's exactly what the president does current government is committed to organize fair and transparent elections a dno of the year so we can have a new government will actually do is people would not have 50 and discover and they can actually choose to have a leader like you out all right they can speak about the minister but the minister mentioned the structural issues i mean historically haiti has relied on n.g.o.s and

outsiders to fund its health care it has one of the lowest spending you know on health care the question is whether or not a new constitution is going to address people's basic needs i mean i've seen this argument raised that the issue for haiti today in terms of you know disease and maladies it's not cold it but it's infant mortality you know women dying in childbirth things that are curable that we take for granted here in the developed in the developed world and that goes back to regardless of what your constitution says what is the political will of any government to address that into the right people the basic right i would like to add something i think it's it's a bit irresponsible to say that he has passed code and i know we don't want a return on that subject and in the end i do so i gess we 3 do actually because as the whole point i thought god got us talking and i don't believe anyone said there were pasco verify how do you trust the government if in fact there are multiple

other issues jessica i would love for you to respond to this comment because we came to you to talk about the vaccine hesitancy and this is this is this is a very a well off haitian who who's thinking about choices and thinking about vaccines and have a listen to these come and then come off the back of it of beating. when we look at the movie in 1000 numbers for haiti about 12000 pieces and 250 death haiti remains a mystery we even had for early march and it did not result in 2 accelerated number of cases the average haitian today is concerned marching in the shoes taking over social media with the hash tag $389.00 from who'd 19 but from insecurity and corruption at a personal level taking the vaccine is not on top of my primary however as a frequent traveler if it comes down to travel restriction i am open to take the

vaccine but since i know that there are different types of vaccine out there i'll make sure i take one that doesn't create more issues than it solves yes that is a voice of privilege of ever i heard one just very briefly where right at the end of the show what should haiti be thinking about doing right now in the global pandemic best practices best best idea going forward from from this point. great so. far between 1st off following coke carnival actually when i was speaking with a doctor i general hospital the general hospital in cap-haitien was actually on quarantine a couple weeks after carnival so we just don't know the stats there's statistics we just don't know how he's ever been affected by this because there are underlying conditions connected however to address this. it's very very difficult to get people to trust in the back scene when most people don't trust in

public institutions and when people have bigger bigger stresses to to worry about like food. security. i think. when it's possible to hold the elections i think that's what's going to help return to that some trust the 2nd thing is i agree that there needs to be more efforts to educate and fight against this information through thank you janet. abit at the beginning of the paradigm of actually like he did quite a good job at spreading awareness radio gene calls thank you jess thank you jack thank you doll to pop and thank you melissa thank you as well for a big part of this conversation so much to talk about haiti always a chicken a global pandemic thank you all for being part of this conversation i will see you next time take.

you in the cold with 19 undemocratic iran. who make the cut the drift from this group began documenting life from the naacp made on growing international sanctions . and intimate portrayal of isolation in one of the world's least understood countries coronavirus look down iran people in power. it's the political debate show that's challenging the way you think i want

to know where you stand on cancer culture decreasing the range of ideas that can be heard from international politics to the global pandemic and everything in between is tech companies are the ones with all the power what do we do what's the solution get organized and what are world leaders or governments missing thread talking about targets in like 2040 or 2051 working targets but now up front with me welcome on hill on al-jazeera. the castors of let you distribute comedy as part. since the 1950000000 revolution has power is 100 over to be guilty as kind of we look at the situation in the country today this is the end of the league but continuation of the legacy all the beginning of real change in cuba special coverage has rolled past 2 steps down on al-jazeera. we understand the difference is i am similarities of cultures across the world so no matter how you take it al-jazeera. the news and current affairs that matter. how to 0.

i know i maryam namazie and london with a quick look at the headlines now israel's prime minister is said iran is the greatest threat in the at least in that he won't allow the country to obtain nuclear capability his comments come off the iran describe the sabotaging of its main nuclear facility as an act of terrorism and vowed to respond incident comes at a sensitive time with both iran and the u.s. trying to salvage the iran's nuclear deal with while powers are a force that reports now from west jerusalem. iran says.