7.5 million Haitians at high risk of cholera
A Plan aid distribution in Haiti
November 16 2010 - SOME 7.5 million people in rural Haiti are at high risk of cholera warns Plan Ireland programme manager, Damien Queally.
Damien, who is in Haiti helping to co-ordinate Plan’s emergency response, said that people living in isolated areas without services are under threat from the disease which has already claimed almost 1,000 lives across the country.
"With an aggressive bacteria such as cholera, time is of the essence. Without treatment, death can come in a matter of hours," said Queally. "Which is why Plan is focusing on widespread education programmes that teach people how not to get sick in the first place."
More than 900 people are confirmed to have died from the disease to date with some 14,600 confirmed cases across the country. Hurricane Tomas brushed the west coast of Haiti earlier this month and contributed to a spike in the number of cases. It is estimated that nearly as many people who were killed by the January 12, 2010 earthquake could be sickened by cholera in the coming months, if no significant action is taken.
Plan has been working with youths and families in around 100 rural communities to help spread the awareness about the importance of good hygiene and drinking safe water. They are taught the signs and symptoms of cholera and what to do in case it strikes. Plan has also run hygiene awareness programs in over 260 schools.
Emergency health centres have also been set up to care for the infected and aid packages containing soap, water purification tablets, electrolytes and small treatment kits have been distributed to families. Plan has some 376,000 units of life-saving oral re-hydration salts on hand for distribution, which will benefit approximately 32,160 large families.
Plan Ireland is one of two Irish aid agencies to receive funding from The Irish Government’s Overseas aid wing, Irish Aid, earlier this week.
Expressing his thanks to Irish Aid Queally said that this donation would undoubtedly save many lives. He also called on the Irish public to donate to Plan’s Haiti appeal. “It will be many years before Haiti is back on its feet” he said, “and this cholera outbreak is a serious setback on that long journey”
