International Medical Corps Expands Cholera Response as Outbreak Spreads

Contact in U.S.:
Crystal Wells
Communications Officer
cwells@InternationalMedicalCorps.org
+1 617.913.0794

Contact in Haiti:
Michael Dockrey
Country Director, Haiti
mdockrey@InternationalMedicalCorps.org
+509 3650 9068

November 24, 2010, Port-au-Prince, Haiti - With modeling exercises predicting an estimated
400,000 cases in the next 12 months and as many of half of those cases occurring in the next three
months, International Medical Corps is working to expand its cholera response operations with new
cholera treatment centers (CTC’s), oral rehydration points (ORP’s), and mobile clinics to cover
additional underserved areas. The new sites will build upon International Medical Corps’ existing
network of CTC’s in Artibonite, where Cholera Emergency Response Teams have provided medical
care to more than 2,361 cholera patients.

“The disease continues to spread at an alarming rate and we will continue to see a rise in cases as it
spreads throughout the country,” says Dr. Jojo Cangao, International Medical Corps medical
director in Haiti. “International Medical Corps will work to meet the increased case load through
additional CTC’s while expanding our cholera education activities to reach new communities.”

The organization has already implemented CTC’s at hospitals in Verrettes, St. Michel, and Ennery in
Artibonite region, where patients are being administered IV solution, oral rehydration salts, and
doxycycline to treat cholera and given water purification tablets. International Medical Corps is now
providing patient care at two sites in Les Cayes and plans to expand these services to Nippes and
Archaie.

Its expansion strategy also includes a network of ORP’s, smaller treatment centers that will be
positioned in hard-to-reach areas, as well as three mobile medical units that will serve extremely
remote places in Artibonite cut off by rains, flooding, and landslides. These mobile medical teams
will also train local medical staff, deliver supplies, and transport acute patients to hospitals, when
needed.

International Medical Corps established oral rehydration points in all of its network of 14 primary
health care clinics in and around Port-au-Prince, Petit Goave, Leogane, and Jacmel. Through these
clinics, International Medical Corps will administer oral rehydration salts and will refer and transfer
patients to higher level care as needed, making sure that severely dehydrated patients are given IV
line before referring them. When the outbreak was first confirmed, International Medical Corps
trained all of its clinic staff in cholera prevention, identification, and treatment. These trainings have
now been delivered to its team of 29 doctors and 95 nurses working in primary health clinics and
Cholera Treatment Centers throughout Haiti.
In addition to medical staff training, International Medical Corps has also reached approximately
11,200 people in churches, schools, camps, orphanages, and communities with information on
cholera and continues to expand its cholera education campaign through its network of 320
Community Health Workers as well as other social networks such as the Boy Scout leadership,
religious congregations, and community organizations, including teacher associations. Infectious
disease specialists have also been deployed and are now working with hospitals in Artibonite on
medical waste management and infection control.

International Medical Corps has extensive experience in cholera outbreak response, management,
and prevention, with its most recent responses in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), and Iraq. Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene are also one of its top
organizational priorities, with such programs in countries including Haiti, Somalia, Kenya, and the
DRC.

Since its inception nearly 25 years ago, International Medical Corps’ mission has been consistent:
relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster, and disease, by delivering vital health
care services that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to
returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information, visit:
www.InternationalMedicalCorps.org