(2016-12) A New Approach to Cholera in Haiti - Report of the Secretary-General (A/71/620)

United Nations • 2016 • 16 pages

Summary — Founding Secretary-General report on the two-track United Nations new approach to cholera in Haiti, acknowledging the Organization's moral responsibility, detailing the epidemic since 2010 and proposing intensified control plus material assistance for victims.

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Key Findings

Cholera has afflicted nearly 800,000 people in Haiti and may have caused over 9,000 deaths since October 2010, and the outbreak accounted for 57 percent of all cholera cases reported to WHO worldwide in 2010. Concerted efforts reduced overall incidence by approximately 90 percent from the 2011 peak, but Haiti still reported the highest number of cholera cases in the world. Hurricane Matthew and the rainy season drove monthly suspected cases from just over 2,000 in September to nearly 6,000 in early November 2016. The new approach pairs intensified control and long-term water and sanitation investment (Track 1) with a participatory material assistance package for victims, families and communities (Track 2), led by David Nabarro with Ross Mountain on Track 2.

Full Description

This report sets out the new United Nations approach to cholera in Haiti announced by the Secretary-General on 19 August 2016, framed as an act of good faith expressing deep regret for the suffering caused by the epidemic and recognizing the Organization's moral responsibility to victims. Cholera broke out in October 2010, nine months after the earthquake, in a country where only one quarter of the population had access to decent toilets and one half to clean water; it has afflicted nearly 800,000 people and may have caused over 9,000 deaths, and overall incidence had fallen about 90 percent since the 2011 peak. Track 1 intensifies cholera response and control while addressing longer-term water, sanitation and health systems; Track 2 develops a package of material assistance and support centred on victims, families and communities, developed with their participation. The report documents the surge in suspected cases after Hurricane Matthew, from just over 2,000 in September to nearly 6,000 in early November 2016, identifies funding and implementation challenges, sets out a proposed timeline and names David Nabarro and Ross Mountain to lead the effort.

Topics

Geography

Time Coverage

2010-10 — 2016-11

Keywords

A/71/620, General Assembly, cholera, new approach, moral responsibility, Track 1, Track 2, water and sanitation, Hurricane Matthew, victims assistance, David Nabarro, Artibonite

Entities

United Nations General Assembly, Secretary-General, David Nabarro, Ross Mountain, Ministry of Public Health and Population, World Health Organization, Government of Haiti

Notes

UN document A/71/620 (English edition); ayitistats wave B; same symbol as the French-edition record in this batch, dedupe at ingest FR edition: https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/une-nouvelle-strat-gie-de-lutte-contre-le-chol-ra-en-ha-ti-rapport-du-secr-taire-g-n