The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the January 12, 2010, magnitude 7.0 earthquake has continued to evolve. The estimated death toll from the earthquake stands at 316,000, with approximately 3 million others affected. In response to the disaster, the U.S. Government provided more than $1.1 billion to meet humanitarian needs in Haiti in FY 2010, including nearly $716 million from USAID.
Humanitarian efforts in the year following the earthquake focused on meeting the immediate needs of earthquake-affected populations by providing safe drinking water, food, household items, shelter, sanitation facilities, and health services. USAID continues to work closely with other USG agencies, the Government of Haiti, international organizations, the U.N., and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to coordinate ongoing efforts and facilitate the transition from emergency relief activities to recovery operations.
The cholera outbreak, which began on October 22, 2010, has presented a significant challenge to the humanitarian community. As of April 4, 2011, the overall cholera caseload stood at 274,418, with 146,686 hospitalized cases and 4,787 deaths. The case fatality rate (CFR) was 1.7 percent. USAID/OFDA’s emergency cholera response plan focused on preventing cholera cases, reducing the number of cases requiring hospitalization, and reducing the CFR. The plan included four elements: provision of chlorine to increase availability of safe drinking water; expansion of national hygiene education outreach; provision of oral rehydration sachets and medical supplies; and an increase in the number of cholera treatment facilities (CTFs), particularly in underserved and rural areas.
USAID/OFDA has provided significant funding for humanitarian assistance in Haiti, including $394,958,324 for the earthquake response and $62,856,348 for the cholera response. The agency has also provided more than $51 million for economic recovery and market systems activities, benefiting more than 606,000 beneficiaries. In addition, USAID/OFDA has provided more than $106 million for shelter and settlement programs in Haiti, resulting in the completion of over 20,000 transitional shelters and repairs to nearly 4,330 households.
The humanitarian community continues to prepare for the upcoming 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1. USAID/OFDA staff are meeting with grantees and working on hurricane season contingency plans, such as prepositioning emergency relief supplies. The agency also recognizes that cholera will likely remain present in Haiti for several years and that the rainy and hurricane seasons may cause additional caseload spikes. USAID/OFDA program office staff remain in Haiti to monitor the evolving humanitarian situation, enhance coordination, and monitor ongoing USAID/OFDA-funded response activities.