Help PIH Respond to Cholera Outbreak in Haiti

  In the aftermath of Haiti’s devastating earthquake, UN peacekeepers stationed in central Haiti’s Artibonite Valley introduced cholera to the country, triggering the second largest epidemic of the disease in history.

 Cholera, which is a new disease to Haiti, has sickened more than 770,000 people and killed more than 9,200 people since its outbreak. So far this year, it has sickened some 6,000 individuals and is killing an average of 37 people every month. Haiti’s persistent cholera issues are due to its continued bombardment of tropical storms such as Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and lack of access to clean water and improved sanitation, making it easier for the disease to spread. The world health organization has termed Haiti’s cholera outbreak as endemic, as the bacterium could very well be established in Haiti’s rivers. This is a far cry from pre-2010, when cholera was not a known disease in Haiti.

 Partners In Health has been actively working to combat the spread of the disease and treat those effected, by organizing more than 3,300 community health workers, bringing together stakeholders and government organizations. In partnership with Haiti’s Ministry of Health, Partners In Health has administered more than 80,000 oral vaccinations and consistently runs public hygiene education campaigns.

 While we’ve made strides in combating cholera in Haiti, there is still much work to be done. “We need to raise our expectations of what’s possible to do in Haiti and other countries in terms of these diseases that we’ve completely eliminated from our own societies,” said Dr. Ivers, a senior policy adviser with Boston-based Partners In Health. There are still many others who need cholera oral vaccinations. Your continued support of Partners In Health helps support our program to vaccinate Haiti and stop the threat of cholera for good.