The U.S. government’s work in Haiti began in response to the devastating earthquake that struck the island nation on January 12, 2010. As of February 24, 2010, USAID-funded cash-for-work programs employed over 13,000 people at 273 sites in Port-au-Prince and beyond, focusing on debris removal and drainage canal clearing to improve sanitation and lower the risk of infectious diseases. This work helped to reduce economic insecurity and restore cash flow to local food markets and small businesses.
The U.S. government also worked to distribute plastic sheeting shelter kits to every household in need, with the goal of providing shelter to 240,000 to 300,000 households by June 1. This temporary solution protected Haitians and their families from the sun and rain while rubble was cleared and homes and other buildings were rebuilt to better standards.
In the area of healthcare, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) medical and surgical teams provided care to 9,751 patients in 31,308 patient visits from January 17 to February 24. The U.S. government continued to work with the Government of Haiti and on-the-ground NGOs to ensure continued access to medical care, as well as convalescence and rehabilitation facilities, and to strengthen essential public health capabilities such as surveillance, sanitation, and vaccination.
The U.S. government also provided water to the people of Haiti, with 120 million liters of water being provided through the Port-au-Prince piped distribution network, 50% more than was provided before the quake. This increase was due to longer pump running times and better access to fuel for generators. The water network repairs were managed through the Government of Haiti-led UN cluster, which was partially funded by USAID through UNICEF.
In addition, the U.S. government donated a Federal Medical Station valued at approximately $577,000 to St. Damien Hospital in Port-au-Prince, which included the components to stand up a 250-bed, acute-care facility with the capacity to care for both inpatient and outpatient needs. The U.S. government was committed to helping the Government of Haiti develop its healthcare infrastructure and capacity to provide for the medical requirements of all Haitians.
The U.S. government also worked to provide emergency food aid to over two million people affected by the earthquake, and transitioned to more targeted distributions focusing on the most vulnerable families and children. The U.S. government was committed to working in partnership with the Haitian people to meet the short and long-term needs of Haitian families throughout the greater Port-au-Prince area.
As the quake response moved into its next phase, the U.S. government created a Haiti Task Team (HTT) to continue inter-agency coordination of the reconstruction efforts that were underway, and to replace the Response Management Team formed at the onset of the crisis. The HTT included representatives from the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Armed Forces, the Department of Health and Human Services, and others.
The U.S. government also worked to inform the Haitian public about humanitarian assistance distributions, safety, shelter assistance, and other critical information through a daily radio program called “News You Can Use” (Enfomasyon Nou Dwe Konnen in Creole), which was carried by 27 Haitian radio stations in and around Port-au-Prince and repeated several times per day. This project also provided equipment, technical assistance, and training to journalists at local stations to improve the quality of news and information programming broadcast throughout earthquake-affected areas.
The U.S. government helped to build Haiti’s medical infrastructure back stronger and better than it was before the earthquake by donating equipment, supplies, and training to help the Government of Haiti improve 15 healthcare facilities in the Port-au-Prince area with capacity for follow-up surgery, spinal injury care, and rehabilitation. There were also now 160 mobile clinics and 150 nearby fixed facilities serving Haiti’s IDP camps.
In coordination with the Government of Haiti and other donors, USAID and the Department of Defense worked to clear the most critical areas of congested drainage canals in advance of the upcoming rainy and hurricane seasons. This action combined the use of heavy equipment and cash-for-work programs to further mitigate risks to Haitian people.
The U.S. government also deployed a multi-faceted and cutting-edge approach to help monitor, track, micro-target, and minimize health concerns before they grew into a crisis. This included training data collectors in 21 priority camps on disease monitoring and reporting, and using text messages to record and track five instantly reportable diseases.
Finally, the U.S. government supported a Seed System Security project to help grow agricultural production in Haiti by providing training and support to farmers, and by working to clear land and prepare it for planting. The project aimed to prepare the maximum amount of land possible for planting in the next six weeks, and to help jumpstart Haiti’s economy and give Haitians the skills to rebuild their own country.