Guyana

Press release

UNICEF Executive Director visits cholera-impacted residents at Haiti Treatment Centre

PORT-AU-PRINCE, 16 December 2010 – During a visit to the Haitian capital yesterday, Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, spoke with cholera patients and heard firsthand their concerns. 

The visit took place at the GHESKIO Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) in an impoverished area of the city.  Lake also met with His Eminence Bishop Pierre-Andre Dumas, Coordinator of ‘Religion for Peace’ an organization that is mobilizing Catholics, Protestant, and Voodoo religious communities throughout Haiti to support cholera prevention and healthcare practices.

Lake’s visit to Port-au-Prince was made in support of the UN community’s response to cholera, and Haitians themselves in their actions against the disease. The cholera epidemic, which emerged just two months ago, continues to spread throughout Haiti. It is now claiming lives in all 10 administrative departments.

The centre, led by Dr. William Pape, is part of a network of 72 cholera treatment centres and units established across Haiti by UNICEF and partners. UNICEF is also carrying out cholera prevention activities such as supporting 5,000 schools, 300 child-friendly nutrition centres, and more than 700 residential care centres by distributing soap, water purification tablets, oral rehydration salts, and training teachers and children on safe hygiene practices.

Lake emphasized several points during his visit:

1. Pledging the support of the United Nations, NGOs, and UNICEF in Haiti’s fight against cholera;
2. The key to combating cholera is mobilizing influential communities such as religious groups and leaders;
3. The most important partners in defeating cholera are Haitians themselves, and helping them understand that cholera is preventable and treatable;
4. Cholera can affect anyone, and those who are sick should not be afraid to receive help at CTCs;
5. Current political tensions should not interfere with efforts to control cholera, a view no doubt supported by all parties;
6. All humanitarian organizations should be allowed to work and have unfettered access to medical supplies and their distribution.

The suffering now being experienced by children and their families in Haiti, suffering brought about by the January earthquake, floods, and the current cholera epidemic, demand continued local and international commitment as well as political will.

“As always, and without exception, children are the most adversely impacted by crises such as this cholera epidemic and the January earthquake,” said Lake. “The responsibility we all share is to ensure that children and families are protected from these emergencies as well as from the recent political tensions.”

He stressed that the current environment of uncertainty and insecurity in Haiti places children and families at even greater physical risk and also inhibits the efforts of humanitarian agencies such as UNICEF.

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.  The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.  UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

For further information please contact:
Jean-Jacques Simon, UNICEF Haiti,
Tel + 509 3702 - 3698
jsimon@unicef.org

Patrick McCormick, UNICEF New York,
Tel + 1 212 326 7426
pmccormick@unicef.org