NYT Columnist Kristof Promotes PIH's 'Superb Work' Fighting Cervical Cancer in Haiti

Partners In Health received a heartwarming show of support Saturday from The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who promoted PIH's reproductive health and cervical cancer efforts in his annual holiday giving guide. 

The guide lists charities and nonprofit organizations that Kristof endorses for donations, as alternatives to traditional holiday gifts. Kristof cited the national political climate when praising PIH's work in Haiti and elsewhere. 

"President Trump is cutting off funds for some reproductive health organizations, like the U.N. Population Fund, so aid groups in this sphere could use a boost," Kristof wrote, in his column published online Saturday. "Partners In Health, a leading health aid organization, also does superb work fighting cervical cancer and other diseases in Haiti."

Zanmi Lasante, as PIH is known in Haiti, launched a two-year program in November 2015 to dramatically increase HPV vaccinations and cervical cancer screenings for young girls and women in several parts of the country. HPV, or human papillomavirus, can cause an infection that has been linked to more than 90 percent of cervical cancer cases worldwide. PIH's program in Haiti aimed to vaccinate 20,000 girls in St. Marc, Mirebalais, and Belladère against HPV, and to screen 20,000 more women for cervical cancer in St. Marc and the surrounding area.

PIH is a champion for maternal and reproductive health across all of its sites, in 11 countries around the world. 

Kristof's mention is a strong, timely endorsement at the start of the holiday season. Kristof long has been familiar with PIH, its work, and co-founder Dr. Paul Farmer. Kristof published a column by Farmer, “Humans Aren’t Winning the War on TB,” on his blog in March, for example. Kristof also cited PIH in a 2012 column about reductions of HIV deaths in Lesotho, and sat next to PIH CEO Gary Gottlieb at a Vatican event earlier this year.