UN Haiti Situation Report:

Cholera alerts on the rise

The number of weekly hospitalizations nationwide has increased from an average 1,700 to 2,600, reports PAHO in its latest bulletin dated May 27. The South-East, Grande Anse, South and West are the departments most affected by outbreaks of cholera with a surge over the past three weeks inthe number of daily alerts received from partners in the field. In the South-East department, the number of hospitalization has tripled over the past two weeks, with some of the cases coming however from neighboring West Department. From 21-23 May, a significant increase of cases in Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has also been reported. As of 2 June, close to 2,000 cases and 13 deaths had been reported. Some donors including ECHO and USAID have indicated the availability of new funds to respond to further cholera outbreaks.

PAHO is noting that it is too early to say whether there is a change in the tendency of the epidemic. The rise in the number of alerts might be due to the closure of Cholera Treatment Units (CTUs) and Centers (CTCs), resulting in the accumulation of cases in other health infrastructures still open. Given the early detection of alerts, a prompt response has been implemented. PAHO/WHO is coordinating the response through the Preparedness Emergency and Disaster Relief (PED) teams deployed at the departmental level. Those teams are tasked with distributing prepositioned emergency stocks, coordinating with the Ministry of Public Health (MSPP), and deploying rapid response teams, in collaboration with several NGOs, for initial control of the health situation and epidemiological surveillance. In coordination with UNICEF, PAHO/WHO is supporting the installation of oral rehydration points, particularly in Port-au-Prince.

 As of 22 May:

• 1.7% mortality rates nationwide

• 314,539 cumulative cholera cases

• 5,332 number of deaths

CONTINGENCY PLANNING

Awareness campaign on seismic and tsunami risks continues The awareness raising campaign on seismic and tsunami risks reduction, which started last February under the leadership of the Direction de la protection civile (DPC), moved to the North, North-East and Nippes departments. From 7 to 13 May, hundreds of school children and individuals from major cities, including Cap Haïtien, Ouanaminthe and Fort Liberté, attended conferences and public debates with the participation of specialists from the Bureau des mines et de l’énergie (BME) and the Service maritime de la navigation d’Haïti (SENAMAH). Public screenings of documentaries were also conducted at Place Notre Dame in Cap Haïtien. These activities were organized by the Thematic Committee on Education and Public awareness, in coordination with local authorities.

May 7th coincided with the commemoration of the 159th anniversary of the 1842 earthquake and tsunami which destroyed the city of Cap Haïtien. The earthquake killed 5,000 people, and the tsunami 300 individuals. In the Nippes department, about 150 young volunteers marched through Miragoâne on 18 May.This third consecutive edition of the event was also attended by delegations of students and volunteers from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civil Service. Professor Eric Calais of Purdue University, commissioned by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) since July 2010 to provide technical support to the Haitian Government on seismic risks, and engineer Gerard Métayer, held a panel discussion onearthquake and tsunami risks on 17 May. These activities were conducted with the support of UNDP, Plan Haiti, and the participation of the National Haitian Police (PNH) and the Alliance pour la gestion des risques et la continuité des activités (AGERCA).

FOOD

Survival strategies of vulnerable population exhausted in some areas The cumulative and simultaneous impact of the price increase, financial pressure on households due to school tuition since October, and the reduction of humanitarian aid over the past nine months have contributed to higher levels of poverty of vulnerable households, according to a study conducted from 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 May. The study was led by WFP, FAO, OXFAM, ACF, in support of the National Coordination for Food Security (CNSA), in the Port-au-Prince neighborhoods of Carrefour Feuilles, Croix-des Bouquets and Camp Aviation, in two villages of Anse Rouge, one village of Saline.

OCHA HAITI HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN

May. 2011 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – http://ochaonline.un.org | 5 neighborhood of Gande Rabuteau in Gonaïves in the Artibonite Department. All survival strategies to cope with rising prices have been exhausted, notes the study. Incomes of most households surveyed, the majority headed by women with children, have fallen sharply and this trend continues. With rising prices and declining purchasing power, small businesses have become much less profitable, forcing women to buy food on credit or beg to feed their children. In Gonaïves, job opportunities in the salt marches have also fallen sharply following hurricane Tomas. In Anse Rouge, rural households experiencing lower poverty levels, and whose main source of income is agriculture, have also seen a drop in income due to higher prices of agricultural inputs, fuel and labor.

SCHOOL FEES AND CONTINGENCIES

Therefore, households’ nutritional status has worsened, the poorest having reduced their number of daily meals from three to two. For the poorest of the poorest, the daily consumption of food has been cut down to one meal a day. The consumption of meat and rice was significantly reduced and replaced by less nutritious food such as “arbre véritable” and sweet potato. Mothers report that their children are thinner and complain of headaches and stomachaches, which are potential signs of hunger, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency. Some school principals have observed cases of fainting and reduced attention in class. Those households go to health centers as a last resort because they can no longer afford to buy drugs in pharmacies.

With rising prices, poor households also experience difficulties in meeting school tuition. As a result, a significant number of children were taken out of school since last December. In some classes the number of school children has dropped by half. Almost half of the women surveyed In Rabuteau have taken their children out of school. Some families cannot not even afford to keep children in community schools where tuition are very low, from 50 to 200 Gourdes per year (1 to 5 US$).

With rising prices, poor households also experience difficulties in meeting school tuition. As a result, a significant number of children were taken out of school since last December. In some classes the number of school children has dropped by half. Almost half of the women surveyed In Rabuteau have taken their children out of school. Some families cannot not even afford to keep children in community schools where tuition are very low, from 50 to 200 Gourdes per year (1 to 5 US$).