Cholera Response Update

Several months have passed since the cholera outbreak first emerged in Haiti. Beyond Borders, along with our partners on the ground, responded to the outbreak to mitigate its spread and its impact.

In late 2010 and early 2011, we launched a cholera prevention and response effort with an emphasis on two initiatives. The first initiative provides training to community leaders to help them prevent the spread of cholera and treat it effectively if it is discovered. We estimate that more than 110,000 people will receive this lifesaving training in the tent cities of Port-au-Prince, remote villages in the Artibonite Valley, and mountain communities in the southern peninsula.	Participants learned proper hand washing techniques as part of the prevention lesson.
The second initiative focuses on water treatment as a way to stop the spread of cholera. We purchased six inexpensive solar chlorination systems that, combined, can treat water for more than 12,000 people each day. We’ve installed these devices in communities that face the greatest risk of cholera, and we’re training community members on how to use them effectively and efficiently.	More than 50 community leaders from around Port-Au-Prince participated in a training and prevention discussion in February.