The number of COVID-19 cases in Haiti rose to 3,538 this week, with 54 reported deaths and only 24 recoveries. What’s coming is a perfect storm that will require all hands on deck.
Several factors are at play making Haiti especially vulnerable to this global pandemic.
The healthcare system does not have the capacity to deal with an epidemic, and testing for the virus is scarce. Doctors Without Borders estimates that there are 250 beds available to treat patients with COVID-19, and only 100 ventilators. This is not sufficient.
The majority of Haitians are living under conditions of chronic poverty, making them more susceptible to underlying health issues as it is. Additionally, many Haitians simply cannot afford to stay home and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Over 17,000 Haitians who had been living in the Dominican Republic lost their jobs due to the coronavirus shutdown and returned to Haiti. The DR has had over 530 deaths from COVID-19 so far, making travel between countries a dangerous risk factor for spreading the disease.
Hurricane season will begin in a month, creating additional barriers to accessing healthcare.
At Second Mile, our response to the epidemic has been to first alter our logistics to keep our staff and patients safe by minimizing social contact while still treating the most severe cases of acute malnutrition. Secondly, we undertook a door-to-door community education campaign, during which time we installed over 1,000 hands-free handwashing stations, which you can read about here. Thirdly, we have increased our household garden support so that families have food security despite the extremely difficult economic conditions brought on by the epidemic.
Read our thoughts on malnutrition in Northern Haiti under COVID-19, as well as caregiver Phanilia’s story of finding care for her daughter during the epidemic:
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