Pan American Health Organization - Organizaci?n Panamericana de la Salud - Situation Report on Haiti - January 26, 2010

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Pan American Health Organization - Organizaci?n Panamericana de la Salud - Situation Report on Haiti - January 26, 2010

Situation Report on Haiti - January 26, 2010

Emergency Operations Center Situation Report #13 - Haiti Earthquake


GENERAL OVERVIEW

• The latest figures from the government of Haiti?s information bulletin place the death toll at 111,500 people, with almost 200,000 injured and one million homeless.
• Although a total of 613 organizations and institutions are working in the relief efforts in Haiti, reports from the field indicate the overwhelming contribution and capacity of Haitians to the relief efforts, providing anything from transport to food to their fellow citizens.
• The IOM indicates that upwards of 500,000 individuals remain displaced within the greater metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. Dealing with this reality requires a multi-prong approach that goes beyond tents or the establishment of camps and must include surveillance and the restoration of basic health services.
• The Dominican Republic?s Secretary of State for Public Health has a well-equipped health unit in Jimani, although health needs now appear greater in Fond Parisien.
• A monitoring visit to the Buen Samaritano Hospital showed that the facility is still experiencing problems with the water supply. The 65,000 gallon reservoir may have cracked following the aftershock last week, and is being assessed.
• Many injuries have the potential to cause long-term disabilities; therefore, patients must receive services that help them exercise injured arms and legs in order to not lose mobility.
• Beginning this week, women in informal settlements are being trained as breastfeeding counselors. They will identify pregnant and lactating mothers, and support them to continue breastfeeding, which is essential for good health and nutrition for babies, particularly in emergency settings. This will help prevent future cases of malnourished children.
• In Port-au-Prince, most shops remain closed, though some markets are selling small quantities of fresh produce and some cereals.
• The southern pier at the port in Port-au-Prince is functioning for humanitarian cargo only, but not at full capacity.

PAHO/WHO RESPONSE

• PROMESS received 22 containers of pharmaceuticals from the US today and continues to coordinate actions with the USAID warehouse and supply chain management system. The governments of Pakistan and Egypt have offered to provide pharmaceuticals or financial donations for medicines.
• PAHO/WHO is preparing key health messages (e.g. water sanitation, handling patients, etc.) and translating them for dissemination to the public in Creole.
• PAHO/WHO is working to strengthen surveillance networks to ensure that outbreaks of communicable diseases, particularly water-borne diseases and respiratory illness, are identified early (if they occur) for more rapid control and saving of lives.
• PAHO/WHO will host a workshop to coordinate input into the health component of the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA). The Assessment, led by the UN at large and the European Commission, will be conducted as an inter-agency effort (also including World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank) and will inform on a recovery framework and plans for Haiti.
• PAHO/WHO procured modular offices, living spaces and sanitary facilities to house additional emergency personnel. These facilities arrived in country and will be operational in the coming days.

Read today?s Haiti Health Cluster Bulletin #7 at (LINK)
For further information on the situation in Haiti, please go to (LINK) and http://twitter.com/pahoeoc
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<cite cite="http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2381&Ite mid=1926">Pan American Health Organization - Organizaci?n Panamericana de la Salud - Situation Report on Haiti - January 26, 2010</cite>