Further to the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current cholera response in partnership with the Departmental Health Authorities (DHAs) and the Infectious Disease Coordinators (IDCs), the project aims to continue the fight against cholera by stepping up the rapid response efforts on the remaining cases, full proposal for the MHD – HAITI four persistent ones in Haiti, particularly in four departments (North-West, Artibonite, West and Centre), including in the managing of outbreaks that can lead to further spreading of the disease. An Emergency Cell operated by Doctors of the World (DoW) will consist of two departmental focal points for the four departments with a high outbreak risk and will be responsible for the tracking and consistency of the responses to be provided during outbreaks at the institutional level. In the four targeted departments, the Emergency Cell will strengthen the capacity of the DHAs for managing outbreaks in keeping with the contingency protocols of the MSPP1 (coordinating the players and gauging the extent of the response), and will support the care services by deploying, in less than 48 hours, emergency pools made up of care staff and hygienists who have been trained, in keeping with the MSPP’s strategy for strengthening the medical response that is currently too weak in the country’s various hospitals and health centres. Therefore, those emergency pools are already available to respond as back-up for the staff of the health structures and, if the situation requires, to help with opening temporary structures. Deployment of them will be coordinated with that of the EMIRAs and the EAH2 players that are mandated to raise the awareness of and work with the communities on prevention and hygiene measures, to set up the cordon sanitaire, to do decontamination, awareness-raising, kit distribution and screening/referrals to the acute diarrhea treatment centres (CTDAs). A pre-positioning of equipment, in agreement with the IDCs and if possible with the Department of Civil Protection (DPC), will also be carried out to respond to the recurring outbreaks prevailing in the remote areas within said departments. In the other six departments not prioritized due to the current epidemiological trend, the Emergency Cell will also be able to support the DHAs and IDCs of those departments in setting up emergency pools of staff in the event of major outbreaks.
Ultimate outcome: Help reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by outbreaks of cholera and other water-borne diseases in Haiti, particularly in the four targeted departments. Intermediate outcome: : Increase immediate access to quality, customized acute diarrhea management services for people affected by epidemic outbreaks in Haiti’s targeted departments. Immediate results 1: Increased capacity of the health authorities for managing cholera outbreaks in four of Haiti’s departments. Immediate Result 2: Increased access to rapid, high-quality care services in the event of outbreaks for the most vulnerable, geographically isolated people in Haiti’s various targeted departments.
