Call to Action: A Cholera-Free Hispaniola (Haiti & the Dominican Republic)

Moving from cholera control to cholera elimination through essential investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure.

A press briefing in which the governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, together with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, and other key partners, will launch a Call to Action for a Cholera-Free Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 9 to 9:50 a.m.  Q&A will follow

WHO:               Dr. Mirta Roses, Director, PAHO/WHO

Dr. Kevin De Cock, Director, Center for Global Health, CDC

Sanjay Wijesekera, Chief, Water and Sanitation, UNICEF
H.E. Michel Joseph Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti (via video)

H.E. Leonel Fernández, President of the Dominican Republic (via video)

CONTEXT:    
Haiti is experiencing one of the largest cholera epidemics in modern history. Eliminating cholera from the island of Hispaniola will require dramatic improvements in water and sanitation services. PAHO/WHO, CDC and UNICEF are suggesting four concrete steps to continue saving lives and reducing disease in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 

While the international community has supported the governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic in implementing cholera prevention and control interventions, major investments in infrastructure and institutional capacity to operate it, are needed to keep cholera from becoming endemic in Haiti.

Even before the earthquake exactly two years ago, population access to improved water and sanitation in Haiti was far below levels in other Latin American and Caribbean countries, and the situation has only grown worse. It is time to act. 

WHERE:

In person:
PAHO/WHO, 525 Twenty-third Street, NW, Washington, DC

(Four blocks from Foggy Bottom Metro Station)Simultaneous launches will be held at the Ministry of Health of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; and at the National Palace, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 

Online:

You can log in remotely and ask questions via Elluminate using the link provided below.

- Also could be viewed on Livestream via the link below (chat available).

Questions may be phoned in or e-mailed to one of the contacts below.

Online via ELLUMINATE: 

Room in English:        www.paho.org/virtual/PressConference
Room in Spanish:       www.paho.org/virtual/ConferenciadePrensa

Room in French:        www.paho.org/virtual/ConferencedePresse

NOTE:  PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE LINKS IN A NEW BROWSER
LIVESTREAM: www.livestream.com/paho (floor audio, English)

QUESTIONS BY EMAIL OR SOCIAL MEDIA: 

During this press conference, questions can also be sent through:
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pahowho 

Twitter:Hashtag: #NoMoreCholera 

Or by email: Donna Eberwine-Villagran, eberwind@paho.org, Tel. +1 202 974 3122, Mobile during press conference +1 202 316 5469
PAHO website: http://bit.ly/zxslsW
EQ blog: http://bit.ly/xFDem9

Related Links:

ONE year ONE team 4 Haiti

http://www.youtube.com/user/pahopin?feature=mhee#p/c/35B192E287B9BDAB/26/7241q3gfaLA

The Response to the Cholera outbreak in Haiti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydqdDeSoozY

ONE year ONE team 4 Haiti
http://www.youtube.com/user/pahopin?feature=mhee#p/c/35B192E287B9BDAB/26/7241q3gfaLA

The Response to the Cholera Outbreak in Haiti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydqdDeSoozY

Cholera in the Americas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8NiWwufWkg

The Seventh Epidemic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KikmB33aX0g

Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho