4.a. case study red cross and cholera

context

jan 2010, haiti on caribbean island of hispaniola hit by powerful 7 magnitude earthquake. caused huge natural disaster: 220,000 people were killed, 300,000 injured and 1.3m made homeless. one of poorest countries in world, 60% of pop survive on less than $2 a day. after quake 100,000s of homeless people were housed in makeshift camps. port au prince where prior to quake 86% of the inhabitants lived in slums, half of the pop had no access to toilets. gievn sanitary conditions drinking water contaminated by sewage and overcrowding, an outbreak of cholera was inevitable. oct 2010. disease spread rapidly. from then to nov 2014 720,000 cases with 9000 deaths

LOCAL british red cross was one of several NGOs such as exfam and red crescent working in the disaster area. it targeted the cholera outbreak with its own response programmed involving:

delivering cleam drinking water to 300,000 people living in camps in port au prince. a massive hygiene programme building 1300 toilets serving 250,000 people. providing medical supplies to the main hospital in saint marc in the affected area. treating 19,000 cases of cholera in treatment units in la piste camp in port au prince and in port a piment camp in southwest haiti. volunteers went from door to dooe informing people how to keep themselves safe. specific neighbourhoods like cite soleil ICRC helped reduce epidemic risks by distributing soaps, oral rehydration salts and chlorine tablets. mobile clinics in partnerships with local organisations set up. installed tanks and handwashing stations- helped with public sanitation campaigns in local communities. 133 first aid bags to 220 health workers and community members

NATIONAL british red cross was one of several NGOs such as exfam and red crescent working in the disaster area. it targeted the cholera outbreak with its own response programmed involving:

raising awareness among local people on how to avoid infection and of the characteristic symptoms of cholera. local radio, newspaper and other media were also used to reach as many people as possible. called on all parties to protect health serbvices and humanitarian workers in haiti- medical workers and facilities must be allowed to operate without interference with patients accessing care without discrimination. 2024 onwards= plans to strengthen ICRC’s overall support to the health care system; increasing number of hospitals it supports, supplying medival kits and materials for wounded patients, training emergency staff and community leaders, supportung ambulance services and helping rehabilitate health infrastructure. engages with authoriies, police and armed groups to try to ensure safe access to essential services. 2023= worked closely with the haitian national red cross society and in cooperation with other red cross societies (canada, spain, netherlands) to coordinate a collective humanitarian response. 2023= 62 medicaland health support staff trained on ways to defuse violent situations.

results

thanks to the efforts of the british red cross and other NGOs the cholera epidemic was brought under control. in 2011 there were 35,000 new cases a month, by 2014 this was 2200. even so cholera remains a threat and a leading cause of infant mortality in haiti. 2025= still continued to play a significant role in supporting health system during the ongoing insecurity and disease risk and work directly in displaced communities and high risk neighbourhoods