Australia joins fight to combat cholera in Haiti

Media release

Canberra

7 December 2010

Australia is joining the fight to help Haiti combat one of the most severe outbreaks of cholera seen in the last century.

More than 1700 people have died from the disease since the Haiti Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of cholera on 21 October, with more than 34,000 cases reported.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said that Australia is helping reduce deaths and sickness and limit the impact of the cholera outbreak by providing $1 million to the United Nations Haiti Cholera Appeal.

Australia's contribution will be channelled through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which is providing clean water, water purification tablets, hygiene kits and other essential life saving supplies to communities in Haiti.

“The cholera outbreak in Haiti is made more complex by the devastating humanitarian impact of the 12 January earthquake, which killed an estimated 230,000 people and made nearly 1.5 million people homeless,” Mr Rudd said.

“The United Nations forecasts that up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera over the next six to 12 months as the outbreak extends across the country, and there is great concern for the 1.3 million people still living in makeshift camps throughout Port-au-Prince and other parts of the country following January's earthquake.”

This assistance is in addition to Australia's $24 million contribution in response to the 12 January earthquake.

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