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Communicable Diseases

The current most prevalent communicable diseases in Haiti are as follows:​

  • Cholera

  • Tuberculosis

  • HIV/AIDS

  • COVID-19

Cholera

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  • First emerged as a public health threat in 2010.

  • Introduced by United Nations peacekeepers which spread quickly in the country.

IMPACT:

  •  As of 2018, there is nearly 820,000 suspected cases and more than 9,000 deaths have been reported.  

CHALLENGES:

  • Improving the water and sanitation needed to reduce the risk of cholera resurgence is expensive. Implementation is complicated and the construction takes time. â€‹â€‹

                     These investments won't be able to provide sufficient

                     short-term protection against new cholera outbreaks.

​CURRENT MEASURES:

  • CDC aids in improving diarrheal disease surveillance, enhancing laboratories capacity to culture specimens, training rural potable water and sanitation technicians, expanding water, sanitation, and hygiene capacity, and supporting oral cholera vaccine campaigns.

("CDC Global Health - Haiti", 2019)

Tuberculosis

  • An endemic in Haiti.

  • Highest rate of TB in the Western Hemisphere.

IMPACT:

  • In 2018, WHO reports a rate of 176 cases per 100,000 population. (15% were cases of TB/HIV co-infection)

CHALLENGES:

  • TB treatment is expensive and taking medication for 6 months is the best way to ensure the TB bacteria are killed. However, extreme poverty and lack of healthcare access in Haiti results in people stopping or skipping their medication.

                    the TB infection may become resistant to the antibiotics.

CURRENT MEASURES:

  • The Haiti government launched a TB tracker which will help in improving data quality and making decisions about where to invest in additional clinics and staff. ("Haiti Marks World TB Day by Closing in on 30,000 Patients Enrolled and Monitored · DAI: International Development", 2019)

  • CDC has worked closely with the MSPP to build TB-related laboratory and clinical capacity at high-volume sites throughout Haiti.

("CDC Global Health - Haiti", 2019)

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HIV/AIDS

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​​IMPACT:

  • The third most common cause of death which results in a premature death and disability.​

  • Approximately 5000 children are born with the virus annually.

  • HIV/AIDS complications cause 20% of child deaths in Haiti. 

  • An estimated 150,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, according to UNAIDS 2016 data

(Chepkemoi, 2019)

CHALLENGES:

  • The sustainability of antiretroviral therapy is at issue since necessary HIV expenditure exceeds the national health budget.

CURRENT MEASURES:

  • Antiretroviral therapy

  • CDC has worked closely with the MOH to develop and support various information systems for monitoring and tracking HIV patient data, including the national electronic medical record (EMR) system iSanté, which, along with two other EMR systems managed by partners, covers 96% of HIV care and treatment sites.

  • CDC has worked with the National Public Health Laboratory (LNSP) and partner organization GHESKIO to develop multiple testing capacities including Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for diagnosis of HIV in infants, scale-up of viral load testing, and testing for opportunistic infections in HIV-infected people. CDC

("CDC Global Health - Haiti", 2019)

COVID-19

IMPACT:

  • A total of 20,941 COVID-19 cases and 586 deaths which  brings the rate of lethality around 2.8%.

CHALLENGE:

  • Haiti only has an estimated 124 ICU beds and 64 ventilators for a population of more than 11 million

    • ​Health care facilities are unable to absorb suspected cases.

  • Inadequate preparation and supplies of protective equipment has led to some health professionals refusing to work.

  • Citizens do not have the means of buying masks due to poverty and its scarcity

  • The government’s directive to close businesses will bring additional economic hardship.

  • Delays in delivery of vaccine.

  • Many does not believe in the virus

("COVID-19 in Haiti — The Current Response and Challenges - Haiti", 2021)

CURRENT MEASURES:

  • Close schools and businesses

  • The government required the people to wear mask in public and in instances where social distancing cannot be maintained.

  • PAHO trains 2,700 community health workers and supports scaling up laboratory diagnosis

  • Government has provided sufficient education about the virus to the people.

  • About a month ago, the US government donated half a million vaccine doses which was distributed in select hospitals.

  • The Government of Haiti has announced that beginning on February 9, 2021, it will require negative COVID tests from all passengers prior to boarding flights into Haiti

("COVID-19 Information", 2021)

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