28 November 2010
The UK is to help supply more than a thousand trained medical staff and emergency supplies to Haiti to help fight the worsening cholera epidemic and prevent the infection from spreading across the region, including the British Overseas Territories, International Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, announced today.
The announcement follows the latest warning from the UN that up to 400,000 people could be infected by the disease in the next six months – a significant increase on the number predicted two weeks ago. More than 1,400 people have already died from the disease.
The UK Government will fund 115 doctors, 920 nurses and 740 support staff from the region to set up 12 major cholera treatment centres and 60 subsidiary cholera treatment units. These will be capable of treating several thousands of cholera victims over the next two months through £2 million of funding to the Pan American Health Organisation.
The British Government will also help to fund the provision of emergency supplies. Beyond Port au Prince, Haiti has a chronic lack of decent water and sanitation and medical supplies. To help tackle this desperate lack of capacity, the UK Government will:
A UK team has been in Haiti to assess conditions on the ground. The UK Government will also support action across the wider Caribbean, including the British Overseas Territories, to prepare for any possible spread of the epidemic beyond Haiti.
Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell said:
‘Despite considerable pledges of support to help Haiti, there are still dangerous gaps in the provision of emergency medical supplies and a desperate shortage of trained medical staff, especially in the Northern part of the country. ‘It is clear much more needs to be done. Analysis from the UN and our own field team reveals that the response needs to be significantly increased if we are to save thousands from the disease. We must stop the disease spreading further and trained medical teams and equipment funded by the British taxpayer will bring crucial relief to the devastated country.
‘Despite considerable pledges of support to help Haiti, there are still dangerous gaps in the provision of emergency medical supplies and a desperate shortage of trained medical staff, especially in the Northern part of the country.
‘It is clear much more needs to be done. Analysis from the UN and our own field team reveals that the response needs to be significantly increased if we are to save thousands from the disease. We must stop the disease spreading further and trained medical teams and equipment funded by the British taxpayer will bring crucial relief to the devastated country.
To ensure the region in fully prepared for any spread of the epidemic, the UK Government will provide £765,000 ($1.2 million) to the Pan American Health Organisation's regional preventative planning and surveillance work
St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines which are still recovering from Hurricane Tomas, will be given support for rehabilitating water, sanitation and health facilities.
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