David from the NGO Interaide, one of our partners in Haiti, shares with us his feelings on the situation in Haiti and its possible consequences. He also tells us how the teams on the ground are working on rearranging projects so that they can continue working and not fall too far behind (especially for school projects).
In Haiti, data on coronavirus are difficult to collect and the figures put forward should be taken with caution. To date, a little over 15 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed, but diagnoses are very rare. To contain the spread, the Haitian president declared a state of health emergency on 19 March, ordered the residents to limit their movements to what is strictly necessary and imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for one month. Schools, universities, ports and airports, places of worship and factories are closed and gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited.
It is difficult to anticipate what covid-19 will cause in terms of impact. In terms of health, the Haitian population is very young and therefore potentially more resistant. But malnutrition and the presence of other endemic and recurrent diseases (hypertension, etc.) may increase the proportion of cases with complications. However, the health care system is not operational; the country has only 124 intensive care beds for 11 million inhabitants. So the vast majority of cases with complications will have to be self-managed.
The impact at the social level can also be important, as fear is conveyed by the media and social networks and exacerbated by fake news and superstitions. Advocating social distancing sometimes results in aggression towards suspicious cases, which are instinctively rejected by communities.
The economic impact is likely to be formidable, since the closure of borders with the Dominican Republic will greatly reduce the arrival of goods. Haiti has to rely more and more on its national production, which has been greatly reduced in recent years as a result of liberal policies imposed by the USA. As a result, prices will rise sharply. Haitians who were able to look for work in the Dominican Republic will have to turn to other solutions, as the neighbouring country represents an important valve in the economy of families.
The current situation also affects INTERAIDE projects. With schools closed, it is difficult to continue school projects. The ban on bringing together more than 10 people also makes it impossible to envisage the usual awareness-raising and training activities. A training module on coronavirus transmission has been proposed for all teams, so that there are focal points in the field who can provide correct information and advice on prevention. The teams are studying the possibility of organizing tutorials for teachers in small groups, to work on substantive subjects such as lesson preparation, which can save time in the next school year. This will depend on the motivation of the teachers.
Our teams are studying the possibility of proposing adapted activities to strengthen the actors in the different projects. On HSD projects (Hygiene, Sanitation, Drinking Water) it is quite natural that we can come back to the importance of washing our hands, because it is a message that is an integral part of the activity. In the school projects, we will see if it is possible to organize tutorials of teachers in small groups. They are in contact with health and local authorities to act in accordance with government directives.”
Testimony of our partner INTERAIDE on the situation in Haiti