Haiti - Emergency Cholera Response - Pan American Health Organization 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 the Pan American Health Organization 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) strengthening the National Surveillance Information System to improve data collection reporting and analysis; (2) providing essential medical and non-medical supplies to health facilities; (3) rehabilitating medical waste infrastructures and water and sanitation infrastructures in cholera treatment structures; and (4) providing oral rehydration points to strengthen case management in isolated areas.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to epidemiological information and strengthened capacity of health authorities and actors to respond to outbreaks; and (2) reinforced capacity for health system to adequately treat suspected cholera cases. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.