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Cholera

Doctors in green scrubs talk to each other

Photo Copyright: Kendra Helmer/USAID

The Challenge

On October 21, 2010, the Haitian Ministry of Health and Population (MSPP) confirmed cases of cholera for the first time in at least a century.

Accomplishments

At the request of the Government of Haiti, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—already helping Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating January 2010 earthquake—immediately began working with MSPP and the Pan American Health Organization to lessen the effects of the outbreak.

Upon confirmation of the disease, the U.S. Government (USG):

  • Immediately  took steps to distribute products to purify drinking water, soap for washing hands and household items, and oral rehydration salts for people with cholera
  • Worked side-by-side with MSPP and other partners to establish a national system for tracking cases of cholera.
  • Supported staff training, re-stocking, and development of treatment guidelines at cholera treatment centers and oral rehydration posts.
  • Developed cholera treatment and prevention materials and trained more than 500 health care workers across the country. To date, close to 10,000 Haitian health care workers have been trained.
  • Improved access to clean water in communities by providing support for partners to drill new wells and repair others.

As of mid-November, Haiti has reported more than 492,000 cases of cholera and 6,700 deaths. Though deaths from cholera were high in the first few months of the epidemic, efforts by the USG, MSPP, and other partners have helped ensure the rate remains consistently below the international standard of 1 percent.

Through October 2011, the USG provided expertise and more than $75 million to prevent additional cholera cases and support the response.

Challenges Ahead

Inadequate access to clean water and sanitation are ongoing problems in Haiti, suggesting that cholera will remain prevalent for years to come.  The United States is committed to supporting the Haitian government in the prevention and treatment of cholera, as well as improving water, sanitation and hygiene throughout the country.

 

For more information on US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention efforts on cholera:  http://www.cdc.gov/haiticholera/cholera_qa.htm

 




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Last Updated on: October 22, 2012