Haiti - Emergency Cholera Water and Sanitation Response - UNICEF 2017-2018

March 2017 – Haiti remains affected by a convergence of humanitarian crises further aggravated by a category 4 hurricane which struck the country in October 2016. Hurricane Matthew resulted in the largest humanitarian crisis in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake adding to the pre-existing humanitarian needs throughout the country notably those caused by the ongoing cholera epidemic and recent droughts related to the El Niño phenomenon. An estimated 2.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2017. This includes 1.4 million people in hurricane-affected areas which remain in need of food water and sanitation shelter and livelihood. Cholera also remains a serious threat to hundreds of thousands of households especially with the resurgence of the disease since May 2016. With GAC’s support and other donors UNICEF is helping to increase access to basic health services and the effectiveness and efficiency of the prevention and treatment of cholera in Haiti. Project activities include: (1) distributing cholera and hygiene kits to vulnerable and at-risk people; (2) providing safe water for drinking cooking and personal hygiene; (3) protecting at-risk water systems and restoring safe conditions in hurricane-affected cholera treatment centres; (4) establishing temporary chlorination points during cholera outbreaks; and (5) supporting community-based hygiene and sanitation promotion campaigns.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to clean water and basic hygiene and sanitation facilities; (2) reduced the spread of the disease; and (3) improved basic hygiene practices. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.