Rainy season in Haiti brings increased risk of cholera

Red Cross re-opens cholera treatment centre in Port au Prince following rise in cases.

A significant rise in cholera cases has been reported in Haiti, leading the Red Cross to re-open a cholera treatment centre in Port au Prince. The increase, which had until recently been contained within specific rural areas, has now hit the capital leaving treatment facilities stretched to capacity.

The centre, based in Carrefour Feuilles, will be run by the Haitian Red Cross in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Three Canadian Red Cross aid workers have been deployed to support the operation.

In addition to response activities, Red Cross teams are carrying out prevention activities including disseminating health information to people in camps, schools, clinics and communities.
To date, hundreds of thousands of people have been reached with hygiene promotion activities, clean and safe drinking water, hygiene kits and soap. In addition a series of oral rehydration posts and cholera treatment centres were set up throughout Haiti. At the peak of the outbreak the Red Cross sent out 10.5million text messages to people Haiti-wide with advice on avoiding cholera.

Last January the Red Cross launched the largest response effort ever in a single country when an earthquake devastated the country. Today the Canadian Red Cross continues to help communities recover and protect against future disasters. For more information on Canadian Red Cross operations in Haiti, visit www.redcross.ca/haiti2010

Posted: June 6, 2011