Organization: UNICEF, Haitian Government

Only 64.5 percent of its people have access to safe drinking water in Haiti. In the Village of Petit Bourg du Borgne, nestled in Haiti’s mountainous Northern Department, most people depend on such sources as streams, rivers and underground springs for all of their daily water needs. These sources are exposed to many harmful pollutants and bacteria, as people pass through it on foot and by vehicle and use it for bathing and washing clothes and for animals, along with myriad other uses.

UNICEF and the Haitian government have intensified the fight against cholera, with the National Sanitation Campaign, aiming to eliminate open defecation in the country. The National Sanitation Campaign targets 55 communities in the 10 departments, covering 3.8 million people, 2,500 schools and 500 health centres.

"Until every household has access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, cholera and other water-borne diseases will remain a potential threat to vulnerable families throughout the country," said Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe. "We count on the support of the UN and that of international partners to make this a reality."

The ‘Community Approaches to Total Sanitation’ approach encourages behaviour change and leadership at community level. It has already been used successfully in three departments. The CATS programme, allied with the provision of clean drinking water, the use of safe sanitation infrastructure and good hygiene practices, can halt the spread of cholera.

Keywords: access to water, hygiene, sanitation, water and health, water quality

Location: Haiti, Latin America and the Caribbean

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