SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL

Haiti: Oxfam responds to cholera crisis - Aid agency already reaching 25,000

Published: 24 October 2010

Oxfam's health advisor Raphael Mutiku said: 

"We are obviously concerned about the spread of cholera to Port-au-Prince. However, earthquake victims living in and around the capital have better access to clean water, latrines and better knowledge of good hygiene practices than in rural areas. We have been doing ongoing educational sessions in dozens of camps ever since the earthquake struck. 

"We are working as quickly as possible to stop the spread of cholera. We have a lot of resources in the country right now and luckily this is a very preventable and treatable disease. Oxfam will reach over 25,000 on Sunday with distribution of water tablets, rehydration salts packs and bars of soap . The goal is to stop the spread in the region of Petite Riviere by Wednesday. We were assigned this region which covers about 100,000 people."

"Our hygiene messages are already reaching tens of thousands on the local radio. We are well aware that it's spreading but cholera is very preventable, so as soon as appropriate prevention programs like these are put in place, we can very quickly control its spread.  

Read more

Oxfam's humanitarian response to Haiti earthquake

Contact Information

In Haiti : Julie Schindall on    +1 617 735 5572 (US mobile in Haiti) +509 3701 0651 (Haiti mobile) 
In USA : Louis Belanger on +1 917 224 0834, @louis_press