PAHO supports health recovery in post-earthquake Haiti

PAHO aids distribution of emergency medical products and assists national authorities in tackling COVID-19 and the potential emergence of new epidemics

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, December 1, 2021 (PAHO) – Three months after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southern peninsula of Haiti, which killed over 2,000 people and injured more than 12,000, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with the financial support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and donations from strategic partners including USAID/BHA and IMANA, continues to support the recovery of the country’s health system against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

As the lead agency for health, the PAHO/WHO country office in Haiti has been supporting the Ministry of Public Health and Population’s (MSPP) response at the central and departmental levels, deploying field teams in the Nippes, Grand’Anse and Sud departments. These teams are still on site today, working to support the affected populations and the recovery of the health system.

Coordination of the response in support of the MSPP

The PAHO/WHO office in Haiti supported MSPP representatives in organizing and facilitating weekly health response coordination meetings involving dozens of health actors in Haiti. The PAHO/WHO Health Emergencies Program also assisted the MSPP and the Directorate General of Civil Protection in coordinating the deployment of foreign Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) in the field.

Distribution of emergency medical products and equipment

PAHO/WHO also launched national and international logistics operations allowing for the acquisition of several dozen tons of emergency medical products and equipment and the delivery of over 80 tons of purchased and donated relief items. These were transported to the affected departments for distribution to various hospitals and health centers as well as hospitals in Port-au-Prince and Center department that cared for the injured and other health facilities outside of the impact zone to ensure continuity of essential health services.

Epidemiological surveillance in the assembly points

In support of the Directorate of Epidemiology, Laboratories and Research, PAHO/WHO deployed its Early Warning and Response System (EWARS) with the aim of detecting and curbing the emergence of new epidemics and other public health events. Implemented for the first time in Haiti, the EWARS will improve surveillance of at-risk populations in the 37 assembly points where earthquake victims have relocated. After training with the support of PAHO/WHO headquarters, and the distribution of mobile communication terminals regular reports were produced and systematically transmitted to central and departmental levels.

COVID-19 Epidemiological Screening

As part of ongoing assistance to the MSPP to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, nurses from the labo-moto project screened for possible cases of infectious diseases, and in particular COVID-19. This was particularly important in the context of the resurgence of cases due to circulation in the country of the DELTA variant of the COVID-19 virus. Assistance is also provided to ensure the continuity of the vaccination campaign.

Mental Health

PAHO/WHO provided technical support to the departmental health directorates for establishing mental health coordination units in each of the affected department. Integrated mobile clinics have been set up to provide psychological support to health providers as a means of better managing mental health problems in the areas affected by the earthquake. Psychological First Aid training of trainers was organized to generate cascade training of Multipurpose Community Health Workers in the provision of psychological care at the first level of the health system for the population of the southern peninsula of Haiti.

Assessment of Health Infrastructure and Services

In the days following the earthquake, PAHO/WHO experts in Haiti assisted MSPP officials in the rapid assessment of structural damage to health infrastructure in the three affected departments. PAHO field team focal points supported the Departmental Health Directorates in the assessment of the WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) facilities in health institutions and the impact of the earthquake on health services, especially maternal and neonatal services. An expert structural engineer from the PAHO/WHO SAFE/SMART initiative supported the Direction d'Organisation des Services de Santé (DOSS) in assessing the damage to three major hospitals in the country.