The UN Central Fund for Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has awarded a grant of one million dollars on its reserve for "emergency interventions under-funded" to projects of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This exceptional assistance will help cope with a shortage of funding this year, for projects of access to water, sanitation and hygiene that target the victims of the earthquake of January 2010 the most vulnerable of Haiti.

Nearly 500,000 Haitians still live in camps for over two years in conditions of dire public health and the beginning of the rainy season begins in April, is accompanied by an increase in waterborne diseases including cholera.

This new funding will allow IOM to provide public health services of basis to the 60,000 vulnerable displaced people in some 60 camps in Port-au-Prince and its suburbs. A minimum service will be maintained at the Champ de Mars in front of the National Palace, where IOM supports the strategy of relocation of the Haitian government for displaced families.

The funds will finance committees responsible for carry water in the camps, to ensure the availability of drinking water and the distribution of oral rehydration solution in case of outbreak of cholera. They will also be used to finance the maintenance and repair of latrines to prevent contamination of water sources.

Haitian staff who previously worked for the IOM voluntarily, will be trained and again deployed in camps that have had cases of cholera, to work within the "community action groups" to identify and combat any occurrence of new cases and encourage change of hygiene habits.

HL/ HaitiLibre