This week, Direct Relief responded to an urgent request for medical supplies to treat patients in Cap Haitian, Haiti’s second largest city of more than 1.5 million people, after severe rains and flooding have devastated the region and caused an increase in cholera cases. These rains come on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, which killed 54 people and damaged more than 20,000 homes.
According to Ministry of Health reports, during the week of Nov. 26th-Dec. 2nd, there were 126 confirmed cases of cholera and 11 deaths as a result of the disease. There have not been as many deaths from cholera since November 2011. Since the beginning of the outbreak in 2010, more than 7,500 people have died and more than 500,000 have been affected.
The shipment of oral rehydration, IV fluids, and IV catheters valued at $46,000 (wholesale) contains enough supplies to treat more than 1,000 patients with severe dehydration. It was packed in Direct Relief’s warehouse in Haiti’s capital, Port au Prince, and delivered by Direct Relief staff to Konbit Sante, a long-term partner in Haiti.
Konbit Sante works in collaboration with the Haitian Ministry of Health and other partners to build local capacity in all aspects of the health system – from door-to-door community outreach programs, to strengthening community health centers, to improving care at the regional referral hospital.
Direct Relief continues to stock the essential medications and supplies in its central depot in Port au Prince so it can quickly respond to any immediate needs that are requested by its partner medical providers across country.
