Haiti Cholera Epidemic Flashcards
(27 cards)
What is Haiti’s ranking globally for GDP?
126 out of 196 countries, at $19.6 billion
How many cases were reported, and how many died to cholera in Haiti?
820,000 cases, and around 10,000 deaths.
What other country has cholera severely affected?
The DRC, following the 2002 Nyiragongo volcanic eruption, with 265 deaths attributed to the disease outbreak, more than the 120 who died from the actual eruption.
How was cholera introduced to Haiti?
Following the 2010 Earthquake near Port-au-Prince, UN peacekeeping forces came in from across the globe to provide assistance, and some peacekeepers from Nepal, infected with cholera, caused the contamination of the Artibonite river (Haiti’s biggest), infecting thousands of Haitians who had fled Port-au-Prince due to the earthquake, and relied on the river for water.
What proportion of Haitian nationals live below the poverty line? ($2.15)
80%
What proportion of Haitian nationals have access to basic services?
40%
How much time passed between the earthquake in January to the beginning of the epidemic?
10 months, beginning in October 2010.
In what region of Haiti did the epidemic begin?
The Artibonite region, with it spreading into three neighbouring regions by October 2010 when it was identified.
What event in 2012 exasperated the impacts of the epidemic, and by how much?
Hurricane Sandy, which causes cases to almost triple overnight, with more deaths from the disease than the hurricane itself.
What Medical factors played into the spread and impact of cholera? (1)
Haiti had no previous exposure to cholera in history, and so had no natural immunity to the disease
How did the after effects of the earthquake affect the spread and impact of the cholera epidemic? (4)
- High levels of internal migration, spreading the disease faster.
- Migrants often lived in temporary accommodation, such as emergency camps, or homes with increased extended families, leading to overcrowding in poor quality accommodation, which rarely had access to clean water or adequate toilets.
- Repeated issue of migration, as people then tried to migrate to escape the epidemic as well, spreading the disease further.
- The death of many senior healthcare staff in the earthquake severely hindered health services in Port-au-Prince.
What environmental factors contributed to the spread and impact of cholera in Haiti? (2)
- Environmental factors are LIMITED as Haiti had low rainfall when the epidemic began
- However, later environmental disasters in the form of two hurricanes, Tomas in 2010, and Sandy in 2012, caused flooding and overflowing of latrines, spreading infected water.
What socio-economic factors contributed to the spread and impact of cholera? (5)
- The common practice of growing rice in paddy fields, and the reliance on the Artibonite river for fishing and transportation increased regular exposure to contaminated water.
- Significant lack of access to safe drinking water due to the poverty stricken nature of Haiti. (Only 17% of Haitians had access to proper toilets). Exacerbated by earthquake damaging infrastructure.
- Many forced to use river for basic needs, e.g. drinking, cooking, washing and as an alternative to latrines.
- Lack of general awareness on the importance of sanitation such as hand washing and disposal of human waste.
- Poorly equipped and poorly funded medical facilities for an epidemic of this scale.
What is the name of the UN mission in Haiti?
MINUSTAH
What was the immediate responses to the impact of the epidemic?
- Specialised cholera treatment centres set up across Haiti in late 2010, with mobile medical units deployed to more remote regions.
- Oral rehydration centres set up in smaller communities to help patients with less severe symptoms.
- Training of local hospitals and clinics in cholera treatment.
What challenge did the cholera treatment centres and mobile medical units initially run into?
They were completely overwhelmed by the scale of the epidemic.
What was the initial response to curb the spread of the disease?
- A widespread health awareness campaign, promoting handwashing, personal hygiene, and skills such as building safe latrines or boiling or chlorinating water to ensure cleanliness.
How effective were the treatment and awareness campaigns?
Infection rates plummeted, and mortality rates dropped from 10% in October 2010 to less than 1% from January 2011 onwards.
HOWEVER, the disease still remains in Haiti to this day, facing resurgences in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy, and in October 2022, months after it had been declared cholera free in February, following 3 years without a case.
What players were involved in the response to the cholera outbreak in Haiti?
The UN, WHO, World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, bilateral donors and NGOs.
What are the three fronts of the National Cholera Eradication Plan?
- Emergency Response within 48hrs of any new case (Cholera can kill within hours)
- Vaccination against cholera, with 118000 already vaccinated in 2016.
- Improving access to clean water and sanitation (only a quarter having access to toilets, and half the population access to clean water)
How much is the National Cholera Eradication Plan expected to cost, and how much of this has been funded?
It is expected to cost $2.1 billion, and only 18% has been funded.
What is the most expensive aspect of the National Cholera Eradication Plan?
The rapid response.
In what part of the year is the coordinated rapid response most vital?
May - November, in the rainy seasons where transmission is at its highest.
How successful has the rapid response team been in Haiti?
- 80% of cases have been responded to within 48hrs, with 13000 rapid responses reported in 2015, consisting of 160,000 households receiving water treatment products, with messages on hygiene awareness reaching over 1.2 million people.
- The goal of having 50 NGO response teams has been reduced to 30 due to funding issues, and these only able to respond to around 60% of cases
