An Update on the Critical Cholera Situation in Haiti
Posted by Anthony Gilmore
on Nov 22, 2010
Haiti is now 4 weeks into the cholera epidemic which began in the Artibonite valley and has spread to every province, including Port-au Prince (PAP) and in particular to slum of Cite Soleil (CS), where over 300 patients are being hospitalized daily. Every available hospital bed in PAP is occupied with cholera victims. Cite Soleil, because it has the most vulnerable population, is the hardest hit in the greater PAP area. Our water agent at the large Soleil 4 water station buried his brother in the last few days. He died of cholera in a matter of hours.
Cholera is a disease that people are not familiar with here and, given the rapid onset and severity of those who have it, people are terrified. Terrified to seek treatment, to stay with family who are sick, to drink water or eat food, to talk, mingle, live their lives. Cholera victims are being stigmatized in their communities, the stigma driven by fear. This is increasing reluctance to seek prompt medical care thereby increasing the epidemic’s toll.
The figures: and these are felt to be grossly underreported:
Hospitalized : 20,000
Deaths: 1500
Forecast: 200,000 hospitalized over the next 6 months; meaning upwards of 800,000 will be infected.
Deaths: 15,000-20,000 over the next six months.
Source: Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization
For every symptomatic hospitalized patient there are at least three mild cases which do not get counted. Symptomatic and mild cases shed the bacteria for weeks.
Non-Governmetal Organizations (NGOs) are putting forth Herculean efforts to slow the epidemic. However, there is lightening spread of disease because of the poor water and sanitation services in the vulnerable areas. Resources are maxed out with the ongoing post earthquake and hurricane needs.
PWW staff is working seven days per week, delivering over 300,000 gallons of potable chlorinated water every day in Cite Soleil. The logistics of the delivery, chlorinating, monitoring, follow up and distribution are daunting. There are security concerns. The staff continues to perform with remarkable resolve and commitment. Clean water is the single most important preventive intervention for cholera.
PWW by providing clean water to the people of Cite Soleil will save far more lives than any medical intervention will.
Many of the PWW resources are focused on mitigating the cholera epidemic. We are however continuing our schools programs that were in progress when the epidemic struck and are close to completing a large CS school filter rehabilitation project of 139 schools that were damaged during the earthquake.
We begin a ten month Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) in schools program with Save the Children (SAVE) in early December. We are formalizing a six month partnership with World Vision International to rehabilitate the Soleil 4 water station in Cite Soleil which will provide 30,000 people per day with potable water, rainwater harvesting with future hopes for public sanitation, washing and bathing facilities. Our hygiene trainers have worked with Management Sciences for Health to complement our hygiene curriculum to include key cholera prevention messages: the heart of which are proper handwashing and clean water.
PWW has done great work in Haiti in 2010 and the circumstances here find us in a position to formalize, strategize and be funded for a long term national campaign. PWW’s work has earned a very favorable reputation here in 2010, enabling partnerships with several international NGOs.
Our new country director, Dieudonne Khula, was on R and R three weeks ago when I called him and asked him to come to Haiti to help me prepare for Hurricane Tomas which was arriving just as the cholera epidemic was emerging. Without a moment’s hesitation he cancelled his travel plans and arrived in Haiti the next morning. With a plan for preparation in hand, he calmly and confidently guided the staff through the emergency. He is a natural leader: fair, thoughtful, deliberate, thorough and decisive. He understands and honors the cultural context of Haiti. His experience, vision, commitment to improving lives and his respect for the staff and the people we serve will set an invaluable example. He will be a tremendous role model and mentor for the staff, all of whom are enthusiastically awaiting his arrival on Tuesday, November 23, 2010.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your support during these past months. PWW is a great organization and I am honored to be a part of it.
Noelle C. Thabault, M.D.
Deputy Director
Pure Water For The World - Haiti
The figures: and these are felt to be grossly underreported:
Hospitalized : 20,000
Deaths: 1500
Forecast: 200,000 hospitalized over the next 6 months; meaning upwards of 800,000 will be infected.
Deaths: 15,000-20,000 over the next six months.
Source: Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization
For every symptomatic hospitalized patient there are at least three mild cases which do not get counted. Symptomatic and mild cases shed the bacteria for weeks.
Non-Governmetal Organizations (NGOs) are putting forth Herculean efforts to slow the epidemic. However, there is lightening spread of disease because of the poor water and sanitation services in the vulnerable areas. Resources are maxed out with the ongoing post earthquake and hurricane needs.
PWW staff is working seven days per week, delivering over 300,000 gallons of potable chlorinated water every day in Cite Soleil. The logistics of the delivery, chlorinating, monitoring, follow up and distribution are daunting. There are security concerns. The staff continues to perform with remarkable resolve and commitment. Clean water is the single most important preventive intervention for cholera.
PWW by providing clean water to the people of Cite Soleil will save far more lives than any medical intervention will.
Many of the PWW resources are focused on mitigating the cholera epidemic. We are however continuing our schools programs that were in progress when the epidemic struck and are close to completing a large CS school filter rehabilitation project of 139 schools that were damaged during the earthquake.
We begin a ten month Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) in schools program with Save the Children (SAVE) in early December. We are formalizing a six month partnership with World Vision International to rehabilitate the Soleil 4 water station in Cite Soleil which will provide 30,000 people per day with potable water, rainwater harvesting with future hopes for public sanitation, washing and bathing facilities. Our hygiene trainers have worked with Management Sciences for Health to complement our hygiene curriculum to include key cholera prevention messages: the heart of which are proper handwashing and clean water.
PWW has done great work in Haiti in 2010 and the circumstances here find us in a position to formalize, strategize and be funded for a long term national campaign. PWW’s work has earned a very favorable reputation here in 2010, enabling partnerships with several international NGOs.
Our new country director, Dieudonne Khula, was on R and R three weeks ago when I called him and asked him to come to Haiti to help me prepare for Hurricane Tomas which was arriving just as the cholera epidemic was emerging. Without a moment’s hesitation he cancelled his travel plans and arrived in Haiti the next morning. With a plan for preparation in hand, he calmly and confidently guided the staff through the emergency. He is a natural leader: fair, thoughtful, deliberate, thorough and decisive. He understands and honors the cultural context of Haiti. His experience, vision, commitment to improving lives and his respect for the staff and the people we serve will set an invaluable example. He will be a tremendous role model and mentor for the staff, all of whom are enthusiastically awaiting his arrival on Tuesday, November 23, 2010.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your support during these past months. PWW is a great organization and I am honored to be a part of it.
Noelle C. Thabault, M.D.
Deputy Director
Pure Water For The World - Haiti