notes: FROM RELIEF WEB: Haiti: Cholera: A ticking bomb Source: Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) Date: 27 Oct 2010 Norwegian Church Aid is redoubling its efforts to fight the cholera epidemic in Haiti. "If the spread of the disease is not caught at an early stage, catastrophic consequences may follow," says Anne-Kristin Sydnes, Director of International Programmes at NCA. More than 250 people have already died as a result of the first cholera epidemic to affect Haiti for several decades. The fact that more cases are being diagnosed in the capital Port-au-Prince can be seen as a sign that the situation is becoming more serious. "We are working to supply 40,000 people with clean drinking water, and our staff are working round the clock together with local partner organizations to distribute water containing a stronger dose of chlorine than previously distributed, as well as water purification tablets, rehydration salts and jerry cans. NCA is also disinfecting latrines up to three times daily." "We are now channeling extra human resources towards the information side of the response, in order to spread knowledge about the epidemic and about how to prevent infection," says Sydnes. "Hundreds of thousands of people are still living in tented camps, in parks and on the streets following January's earthquake. Sanitary conditions are in places quite appalling, and safe drinking water is in short supply. If the epidemic is not stopped quickly, our experience suggests that an emergency can result, and thousands may lose their lives," says Sydnes. Norwegian Church Aid's emergency response in Haiti has been directed primarily towards providing water and sanitation and improving hygiene conditions, with the specific intention of preventing the spread of water-borne disease among the population. This work is now being intensified across 20 different tented camps and areas of the poverty-stricken neighbourhoods of Bel Air and Cite Soleil. Contact: Anne Kristin Sydnes, tel. +47 977 14 303 -> FROM THE SITE: Weathering the storm Hurricane Tomas lashed the Caribbean country of Haiti with strong winds and torrential rain Friday, creating an emergency in a disaster zone. Read about NCAs relief efforts here. Hurricane Tomas hit the poor, earthquake-shattered country in the afternoon, bringing with it up to 30cm of rain and gusts of up to 135km/hour. Flooding has been reported in many areas and assessments are underway as to the extent of the damage. A hurricane of this magnitude risks sending the already struggling country deeper into difficulty following the earthquake that hit the country in January 2010 and the outbreak of cholera that has killed at least 400 people and hospitalized over 6700 in the last weeks. Norwegian Church Aid has increased its personnel resources on the ground and has stepped up its activities in 30 different tented camps and informal settlements across the country and in the poor neighbourhoods of Cité Soleil and Bel Air, many of which are now flooded. Our efforts are concentrated around delivering water, sanitation and hygiene ("WASH") assistance: providing clean drinking water, building and maintaining latrines, and assisting with cholera-prevention measures. We have storm-secured latrines and shower blocks in advance of the storm, and are ready to repair damaged water systems and pump out floodwater if required. Other ACT Alliance partners have ensured that tents, plastic sheeting, rehydration salts and hygiene kits can be distributed immediately as required. --------------------------------------- FROM RELIEF WEB: Haiti: Cholera: A ticking bomb Source: Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) Date: 27 Oct 2010 Norwegian Church Aid is redoubling its efforts to fight the cholera epidemic in Haiti. "If the spread of the disease is not caught at an early stage, catastrophic consequences may follow," says Anne-Kristin Sydnes, Director of International Programmes at NCA. More than 250 people have already died as a result of the first cholera epidemic to affect Haiti for several decades. The fact that more cases are being diagnosed in the capital Port-au-Prince can be seen as a sign that the situation is becoming more serious. "We are working to supply 40,000 people with clean drinking water, and our staff are working round the clock together with local partner organizations to distribute water containing a stronger dose of chlorine than previously distributed, as well as water purification tablets, rehydration salts and jerry cans. NCA is also disinfecting latrines up to three times daily." "We are now channeling extra human resources towards the information side of the response, in order to spread knowledge about the epidemic and about how to prevent infection," says Sydnes. "Hundreds of thousands of people are still living in tented camps, in parks and on the streets following January's earthquake. Sanitary conditions are in places quite appalling, and safe drinking water is in short supply. If the epidemic is not stopped quickly, our experience suggests that an emergency can result, and thousands may lose their lives," says Sydnes. Norwegian Church Aid's emergency response in Haiti has been directed primarily towards providing water and sanitation and improving hygiene conditions, with the specific intention of preventing the spread of water-borne disease among the population. This work is now being intensified across 20 different tented camps and areas of the poverty-stricken neighbourhoods of Bel Air and Cite Soleil. Contact: Anne Kristin Sydnes, tel. +47 977 14 303
mission: -> Mission and vision Together with our constituency and our partners, Norwegian Church Aid commits itself to the vision: Together for a just world About NCA Norwegian Church Aid is a voluntary, ecumenical organisation that works to promote the basic rights of human beings. The organisation is rooted in the Christian faith. We support those who need it most, irrespective of gender, political conviction, religion and ethnic origin. Norwegian churches and congregations make up the constituency of Norwegian Church Aid. See the list of our constituent organisations here. In order to achieve lasting results we cooperate with church-based and other local organizations in three ways: * Long-term development projects * Emergency preparedness and response * Advocacy Norwegian Church Aid acts in the belief that all humans have been created in God’s image with equal value and equal dignity. Our activities are based on five basic values: * Compassion * Justice * Participation * Peace * Responsible stewardship of creation

town: -> Bel Aire & Cite Soleil
areas_served: -> Bel Aire & Cite Soleil

notes: FROM RELIEF WEB: Haiti: Cholera: A ticking bomb Source: Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) Date: 27 Oct 2010 Norwegian Church Aid is redoubling its efforts to fight the cholera epidemic in Haiti. "If the spread of the disease is not caught at an early stage, catastrophic consequences may follow," says Anne-Kristin Sydnes, Director of International Programmes at NCA. More than 250 people have already died as a result of the first cholera epidemic to affect Haiti for several decades. The fact that more cases are being diagnosed in the capital Port-au-Prince can be seen as a sign that the situation is becoming more serious. "We are working to supply 40,000 people with clean drinking water, and our staff are working round the clock together with local partner organizations to distribute water containing a stronger dose of chlorine than previously distributed, as well as water purification tablets, rehydration salts and jerry cans. NCA is also disinfecting latrines up to three times daily." "We are now channeling extra human resources towards the information side of the response, in order to spread knowledge about the epidemic and about how to prevent infection," says Sydnes. "Hundreds of thousands of people are still living in tented camps, in parks and on the streets following January's earthquake. Sanitary conditions are in places quite appalling, and safe drinking water is in short supply. If the epidemic is not stopped quickly, our experience suggests that an emergency can result, and thousands may lose their lives," says Sydnes. Norwegian Church Aid's emergency response in Haiti has been directed primarily towards providing water and sanitation and improving hygiene conditions, with the specific intention of preventing the spread of water-borne disease among the population. This work is now being intensified across 20 different tented camps and areas of the poverty-stricken neighbourhoods of Bel Air and Cite Soleil. Contact: Anne Kristin Sydnes, tel. +47 977 14 303 -> FROM RELIEF WEB: Haiti: Cholera: A ticking bomb Source: Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) Date: 27 Oct 2010 Norwegian Church Aid is redoubling its efforts to fight the cholera epidemic in Haiti. "If the spread of the disease is not caught at an early stage, catastrophic consequences may follow," says Anne-Kristin Sydnes, Director of International Programmes at NCA. More than 250 people have already died as a result of the first cholera epidemic to affect Haiti for several decades. The fact that more cases are being diagnosed in the capital Port-au-Prince can be seen as a sign that the situation is becoming more serious. "We are working to supply 40,000 people with clean drinking water, and our staff are working round the clock together with local partner organizations to distribute water containing a stronger dose of chlorine than previously distributed, as well as water purification tablets, rehydration salts and jerry cans. NCA is also disinfecting latrines up to three times daily." "We are now channeling extra human resources towards the information side of the response, in order to spread knowledge about the epidemic and about how to prevent infection," says Sydnes. "Hundreds of thousands of people are still living in tented camps, in parks and on the streets following January's earthquake. Sanitary conditions are in places quite appalling, and safe drinking water is in short supply. If the epidemic is not stopped quickly, our experience suggests that an emergency can result, and thousands may lose their lives," says Sydnes. Norwegian Church Aid's emergency response in Haiti has been directed primarily towards providing water and sanitation and improving hygiene conditions, with the specific intention of preventing the spread of water-borne disease among the population. This work is now being intensified across 20 different tented camps and areas of the poverty-stricken neighbourhoods of Bel Air and Cite Soleil. Contact: Anne Kristin Sydnes, tel. +47 977 14 303
website: http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/ -> http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/