CHOLERA AND EARTHQUAKE FACT SHEET #2

CHOLERA AND EARTHQUAKE FACT SHEET #2, FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2011
(ReliefWeb) - Source: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS:

In recent weeks, USAID/OFDA staff have monitored cholera and earthquake programs in four of Haiti's ten departments. During cholera monitoring trips, partners informed USAID/OFDA staff of an ongoing decrease in cholera caseloads. For example, a clinic operated by grantee International Medical Corps (IMC) in Northwest Department that treated an average of 140 severe cholera cases per week at the height of the outbreak, now treats ten mild to moderate cholera cases per week. In addition, USAID/OFDA staff continue to monitor grantees' progress in providing shelter solutions for earthquake-affected populations.

On March 28, additional USAID/OFDA staff arrived in Haiti to update USAID/OFDA's existing hurricane preparedness plan in advance of hurricane season, which officially begins June 1. USAID/OFDA will work with other U.S. Government (USG) agencies in Haiti, United Nations (U.N.) agencies, non-governmental organization (NGO) partners, and the Government of Haiti (GoH) to finalize the updated plan during the month of April.

On March 22 and March 29, respectively, an 18-person congressional delegation led by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and a nine-person congressional delegation led by U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) visited Haiti to observe conditions more than a year after the earthquake of January 12, 2010. USAID/OFDA staff accompanied the delegations to the Pétion-Ville camp in Port-au-Prince's Delmas 48 neighborhood, where USAID/OFDA grantee IMC operates a clinic. Congressman Chaffetz's delegation also traveled to Nazon neighborhood in Port-au-Prince to observe the activities funded by USAID/OFDA and USAID/Haiti including the demolition of an unsafe building, a rubble removal site, and repairs to damaged houses to make them safe for habitation.

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EARTHQUAKE NUMBERS AT A GLANCE:

Estimated Deaths = 316,0001

Verified Number of Displaced Individuals in Settlements = 680,000

Estimated Affected Population = 3 million


CHOLERA NUMBERS AT A GLANCE:

Overall Cholera Caseload = 270,997

Hospitalized Cases = 144,768

Deaths Due to Cholera = 4,766

Overall CFR(Case Fatality Rate) = 1.7 percent


SHELTER AND SETTLEMENTS:

As of March 25, members of the Shelter Cluster—the lead organization for coordination of shelter activities—had completed 57,002 transitional shelters (t-shelters), an increase of more than 8,500 t-shelters since the figure reported in
mid-February. In addition, shelter-focused organizations continue to conduct repairs of houses marked “yellow”—or safe for habitation following minor repairs—by structural engineers conducting USAID/OFDA-funded habitability assessments. As of March 25, the international community had repaired 3,676 structures of the 8,363 structures currently slated for repair. As of April 1, USAID/OFDA grantees had completed 19,499 t-shelters, representing 34 percent of the international completed total and an increase of more than 2,300 t-shelters since the figure reported on
March 9. In addition, USAID/OFDA grantees completed repairs to “yellow” houses to accommodate 4,273 households. To date, USAID/OFDA has provided more than $106 million for shelter and settlement programs in Haiti.

On March 18, USAID/OFDA staff visited grantee Medair’s shelter program in Jacmel, South Department. With USAID/OFDA funding, Medair is providing shelter solutions in rural areas of Jacmel, whereas most shelter agencies are working in urban Jacmel. To date, Medair has completed 2,250 t-shelters and 120 “yellow” house repairs. In addition, Medair has partially constructed another 500 t-shelters and is awaiting additional material that is expected to arrive in the coming weeks.


HEALTH:

Grantees IMC, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Action Contre la Faim (ACF) reported significant decreases in cholera caseload and severity due to improved hygiene practices and reduced stigma toward cholera patients in Port-de-Paix city, Northwest Department, during a site visit by USAID/OFDA and USAID/Haiti health staff between March 14 and 17. However, agencies remain concerned about a potential increase in cholera cases resulting from the rainy season, which begins in April, and have made plans to respond to any renewed outbreaks.

On March 22, congressional delegation members led by Senator Leahy viewed several aspects of the USAID/OFDAfunded IMC clinic in Pétion-Ville camp in Port-au-Prince’s Delmas 48 neighborhood, including health education sessions, gender-based violence counseling, mental health consultations, general outpatient services, the pharmacy, and the maternal-child health clinic. Delegation members spoke with national and international clinic staff and several beneficiaries. To date, USAID/OFDA has provided nearly $56 million for earthquake-related health activities and more than $16 million for cholera-related health projects.

The Health Cluster reported 314 functioning CTFs, with more than 11,300 beds, and 692functioning oral rehydration points (ORPs) throughout Haiti’s 10 departments as of March 21. An additional 26 established ORPs are not currently functioning, yet remain capable of reopening to respond to possible increases in cholera caseloads.

Health agencies plan to construct an additional 75 ORPs as needed. To date, USAID/OFDA has funded 33 CTFs, with nearly 1200 beds, and supported 117 ORPs.


LOGISTICS:

On March 23, the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) announced plans to discontinue cholera-related humanitarian assistance flights on April 1. According to UNHAS, demand for cholera commodities has declined steadily since December 2010.

UNHAS indicated plans to continue monitoring the humanitarian situation in Haiti in
order to quickly reestablish air support as needed and as funding permits. Since January 2010, UNHAS has transported nearly 1,700 metric tons of relief cargo and flown more than 20,000 passengers as part of the earthquake and cholera
responses in Haiti. To date, USAID/OFDA has provided more than $14 million for cholera-related logistics and relief commodities.