The Central Intervention Fund for Humanitarian Emergencies (CERF), a United Nations organization, has allocated US $4 million to support and strengthen the response in the fight against Covid-19 in vulnerable communities in Haiti.

This allocation will support the work of two national NGOs, the Development and Health Centers, the Association for the Promotion of the Haitian Family and three international NGOs : Humanity and Inclusion, Solidarités International and Habitat pour l'Humanité. Grants, which range from $400,000 to $1,200,000.

The projects, selected in collaboration with the Haitian authorities on the basis of a careful needs assessment, will benefit more than 265,000 people in the departments of North, North-West, South, South-East, Nippes, West and Grand'Anse.

This fund will specifically target responses in the areas of health, water, sanitation and hygiene, in accordance with the humanitarian response relating to Covid-19. Habitat for Humanity will use its grant to renovate and equip isolation centers and clinics to better protect patients, healthcare workers and communities from the spread of the virus. Solidarités International will strengthen collection activities in health centers in order to support the response against the epidemic in the departments of North-West, Grand'Anse, South-East and Nippes, as well as to strengthen prevention of COVID-19 in vulnerable communities.

The funds will also help strengthen basic health care services in Haiti. The grant granted to the Association for the Promotion of the Haitian Family will fund maternal and sexual health services as well as activities to prevent and fight against gender violence in the departments of Grand'Anse, South and from the South East. The subsidy allocated to the Development and Health Centers will ensure the continuity of primary health care in the North-West and Nippes departments. Humanity and Inclusion will use the funds to strengthen mental health care and psychosocial support services as well as respiratory rehabilitation services.

Let's recall that since 2006, Haiti has received more than 149 million dollars from CERF.

HL/ HaitiLibre