Attachments
KEY developments
· A USAID/OFDA Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Advisor traveled to Haiti from April 18 to 28 to monitor current cholera-related WASH programs. The Advisor also met with grantees to discuss current WASH interventions in Haiti. Based on findings from the trip, the USAID/OFDA WASH Advisor reported that Haiti is better prepared to deal with a potential outbreak than when cholera initially appeared in October 2010, but noted that ongoing WASH needs persist.
· During the week of May 8, USAID/OFDA staff monitored USAID/OFDA-supported shelter activities in metropolitan Port-au-Prince, noting continued progress in providing shelter solutions for affected populations. A USAID/OFDA Shelter, Settlements, and Mitigation Advisor also traveled to Haiti to monitor shelter progress and conduct field assessments of selected USAID/OFDA shelter programs.
· The Health Cluster—the lead organization for coordination of health activities—reported that although cholera caseloads are increasing in South and Southeast departments, the overall caseload trend continues to decrease.
· Following a recent meeting with USAID/OFDA staff, Mr. Nigel Fisher, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG), hosted a meeting with members of the humanitarian community, including USAID, the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office, and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), to discuss preparation plans for the 2011 hurricane season and ongoing humanitarian needs in Haiti.