Operational System

ALIMA is curating the cholera epidemics in Haiti since November 2010. In partnership with Solidarités International, our intervention has two mains goals: reducing the propagation of the epidemics and treating of severe cases as quick as possible, in order to reduce the mortality.

This is why ALIMA developed three ways of intervention:

-       The Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) Points

In order to detect quickly the cholera, ALIMA installed up to 30 ORS Points where patients can receive a oral rehydration solution. The community health agents there take care of the most moderate cases, they quickly reference the most severe ones.

-       The Stabilization Centers

ALIMA manages 4 Stabilization Centers – Bristou, Censhop, Fondeph canapé vert, Jalousie – where are taken care of moderate cases and references the most severe ones, that are sent to the Cholera Treatment Units.

-       The Cholera Treatment Units

ALIMA manages 4 Cholera Treatment Units.  The first one is located in Delmas, in the ACRA camp where 30.000 displaced people live; 35 beds are available. A second 40-bed Unit has been open in the Haitian Community Hospital in Pétion-ville. A third 30-bed Unit is located in the Fermathe Hospital. The last one is in La Ferrière; it has 10 beds.

In the meanwhile, ALIMA has also set up a network of six ambulances that work day and night for referencing patients. ALIMA also runs prevention activities, epidemical follow-up and epidemical home investigation.

In the city of Pétion Ville, in coordination with the local bureau, ALIMA covers all the aspects of the cholera epidemy: epidemical control, adapted response (in collaboration with the NGO Solidarités International), alerting the population (more than 600 people has been trained, and 180 community health agents sustained), and treatment.

Given the evolution of the epidemy, ALIMA develops since January 2011 a project in the city of Kenskoff that has the same goals.

The cholera project is funded by the Service d’Aide Humanitaire de la Commission européenne (ECHO), OFDA and the Fondation de France.

ALIMA: the Answer to Cholera in Figures

Patients: more than 4.500 people are taken in charge

Staff: 355 Haitians and 28 International people

Partners: Health Community Bureau of Pétion Ville, DSO, Solidarités International, Haitian Community Hospital, GOAL, CENSHOP, UN Habitat, Unicef, OMS, ECHO, Fondation de France, OFDA, ARC, Tulipe

Budget: 1.100.000 euros