CHOLERA CASES - NATIONAL UPDATE

EPIDEMIC: SITUATION IN HAITI
(HaitiLibre.com)

WEST:

For the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, an additional number of cases has been reported: Carrefour, Cité Soleil, Delmas, Kenscoff, Petion Ville, and Tabarre.

The increase in the number of cases in Cité Soleil is particularly worrisome because of its overcrowded conditions, poor hygiene and lack of access to drinking water.

Medecins du Monde (MDM)- Canada operates three mobile clinics serving a population of 45,000 people in 14 camps in Cité Soleil, as well as 55,000 people living in areas surrounding the camps.

In the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, 9 Cholera Treatment Centres (CTCs) are operational, with an estimated capacity of 600 to 1.000 beds.

Across the country, 30 CTCs are operational with an estimated capacity of 1.600 to 2.000 beds.

These CTCs are operated by the largest health NGOs.

The introduction of new CTCs and the addition of extra beds in existing CTCs are top priorities.

Training on the management of people dead of cholera was carried out in the Health Department of the West (DSO) in Port-au-Prince on November 14th. Twenty participants were trained in decontamination and transport of the body, from medical facilities and communities to designated locations. Appropriate vehicles, personal protective equipment and supplies to handle the victims will be provided to participating organizations, under the supervision of the Health Department.

Médecins du Monde (MDM-Canada) is present in 14 camps in Cité Soleil, where they manage three mobile clinics. In Cité Soleil, they serve over 45,000 displaced people and 55,000 people living near the camps.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is supporting the public company in charge of water distribution (CAMEP) so that it can increase the level of chlorine in the system.

In addition, any person who takes water in one of the 44 fountains rehabilitated in recent years by the ICRC receives purifying tablets to put in its container.

In the poor neighborhood of Martissant, the ICRC has made available to emergency workers of Haitian Red Cross means of transport to facilitate medical evacuations, protective equipment and first aid kits.

82 promoters of the American Red Cross will work this week in public places in Petion Ville, including markets, churches and bus stations. During the first two weeks of this sustained campaign, the American Red Cross has trained more than 220 promotors for the promotion of hygiene and prevention of cholera, and they have already visited 41 camps.

NORTHWEST:

The impact of the epidemic in Port de Paix is worrisome, and the ability to handle the increasing number of cases and hospitalizations is insufficient.

The Department of Public Health and Population (MSPP) has deployed 100 health workers, and implemented a plan for community outreach in partnership with CARE and Catholic Relief Services. The shortage of nurses in hospitals, lack of vehicles for transporting patients, and inadequate cleaning supplies are among the major deficiencies cited by the health partners in the area.

The hospital of the Missionaries of Charity in Port de Paix, a facility with 200 beds, reported hundreds of cases over the past two weeks. The primary needs at this institution include additional training of staff on procedures for treatment of cholera.

La Pointe, a small city of 25,000 inhabitants, 8 km east of Port de Paix, has a CTC operational at the Beraca Hospital.

In this department, many cases were reviewed, and in particular over the last two days.

Supplies have greatly diminished, but PAHO / WHO has arranged for the delivery of a new shipment of supplies.

A concern remains, however: the difficult access to health centers and CTCs, due to the mountainous geography and road conditions.

NORTH:

In the North, cholera continues to affect the huge slum of Cap-Haitien, and cases reportedly arriving from new towns.

On November 14th, the Health Centre of Grande Rivière du Nord has received dozens of patients and their normal activities had to be reduced to meet cases of cholera. The establishment of a UTC or a CTC will be necessary if the cases continue to rise.

Médecins Sans Frontière (MSF-Switzerland), which manages the CTC in Cap Haitien, will try to increase the number of beds in the current CTC and the opening of a new CTC in another area.

The protests in Cap Haitien, November 15 and 16, have restricted the movements of UN representatives and NGOs. This could become problematic in the coming days to the supplies and for treating patients.

NORTHEAST:

The Department of the North-East is now affected by cholera, with case reports from Ouanaminte, Terrier Rouge, Trou du Nord, and Perche. These communities are near the border with the Dominican Republic.

PAHO/WHO supported the MSPP in the department through the provision of medical equipment, logistics and training of medical personnel.

ARTIBONITE :

In the Artibonite, 9 CTCs are operational with a capacity of 750 beds.

Partners in Health/Zanmi Lasante reports a growing number of cholera patients in the Artibonite, and the departments of Centre and Ouest, with a total of 7,159 patients in health facilities in the Artibonite/Plateau central. From November 8 to 11, at least 62 patients were treated in one of the new stabilization units at the camp located in the former military airport.

SOUTHEAST:

In the departments of the South-East, the Netherlands Red Cross, in collaboration with the Haitian Red Cross, are working to contain the spread of cholera through hygiene promotion and distribution of jerry cans, soap, water tablets as preventive measures.

The people targeted will be the beneficiaries (in addition to the wider community) of the WASH program that the Netherlands Red Cross is implementing in the departments of South-East and Ouest of Haiti (10,000 households in the Southeast Department, communes of Jacmel, Cayes Jacmel, Marigot and La Vallee; 10,000 households in the department of Ouest, commune of Léogane).