HAITI EARTHQUAKE USAID/DART HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #4

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000124 AIDAC SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA SUBJECT: HAITI EARTHQUAKE USAID/DART HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #4 REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0096; PORT A 0100; PORT A 0114 PORT A 0118 ¶1. Summary. The current international humanitarian response to the earthquake in Haiti is characterized by a marked improvement in coordination and assistance delivery over the last week, with agencies expanding and expediting distributions of food and non-food items (NFIs),and U.N. cluster partners assessing needs in the range of humanitarian sectors and developing strategies for assistance provision in all affected areas. Food distributions under the new fixed-point system have reached 459,672 people since January 31, bringing total food beneficiaries since the earthquake to nearly 1.1 million, and the Shelter and NFI Cluster has provided shelter material to approximately 350,000 people. ¶2. USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) in Haiti continues to assess humanitarian needs, coordinate assistance with the humanitarian community and Government of Haiti (GoH),and inform additional programming by USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA). The current USAID/DART strategy emphasizes a shelter and settlements approach supported by integrated water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH),livelihoods, health, and nutrition interventions for specific targeted geographic areas. To date, USAID has contributed nearly $296 million in earthquake response funding to address the critical needs of affected populations. End Summary. -------------- Post-Disaster Needs Assessment -------------- ¶3. From January 25 to February 2, U.N. interagency teams, led by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),conducted a nationwide rapid, multi-sectoral needs assessment to inform the 12-month revised U.N. Flash Appeal for the Haiti earthquake response. Scheduled for release the week of February 15, the appeal will address current needs and reconstruction plans, with a focus on preparing for the hurricane season, which begins June 1. The U.N. will update the needs assessment monthly. -------------- FOOD ASSISTANCE -------------- ¶4. From January 31 to February 3, lead non-governmental organizations (NGOs),with support from the U.N. World Food Program (WFP),distributed food to 459,672 people through the 16-point distribution system. As of February 3, WFP implementing partners had provided food assistance to nearly 1.1 million earthquake-affected individuals in and around Port-au-Prince. [Note: Reftel 0118 provides an overview of the food distribution system. End Note.] -------------- SHELTER -------------- ¶5. As the humanitarian community continues to meet the emergency food needs of the affected population, agencies are turning to a parallel priority: meeting emergency shelter needs and accommodating displaced persons in safe and well-serviced temporary settlement sites, with a view to sustainability as individuals eventually seek to rebuild damaged houses or find alternative permanent solutions. Initially, relief agencies will be focused on providing plastic sheeting that meets internationally-recognized humanitarian specifications to support the emergency shelter needs of displaced persons through the rainy season. The cluster is also looking to distribute shelter materials in tandem with food distributions. ¶6. The multi-pronged strategy developed by the Shelter Cluster also directs immediate assistance to host families to prevent resource strain, as well as to households currently engaged in shelter self-recovery, a widespread phenomenon observed by the USAID/DART during field visits throughout Port-au-Prince. ¶7. The January 12 earthquake displaced between 240,000 and 300,000 households. Since the earthquake struck, approximately 100,000 households (or nearly 500,000 individuals) have received transportation assistance to communities outside Port-au-Prince. According to the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH),90 percent of people transported outside Port-au-Prince to South, Grand Anse, Nippes, and Central Plateau departments are residing with friends and relatives. Of the 140,000 to 200,000 families remaining in affected areas without adequate shelter, approximately 70,000 (or 350,000 people) have received shelter materials from the Emergency Shelter Cluster, according to the USAID/DART. Only ten days earlier, the cluster had available shelter material for only 5,000 families. ¶8. The USAID/DART estimates the total amount of shelter material in-country or in the pipeline, including both tents and plastic sheeting, is adequate to provide basic shelter to 260,000 households. Pipeline contents include an additional 10,000 rolls of USAID/OFDA plastic sheeting, scheduled for delivery on a rolling basis over the next three to four weeks, with the first shipment of 800 rolls scheduled to arrive on February 4. ¶9. According to Shelter and NFI Cluster lead the International Organization for Migration (IOM),approximately 3,500 people are expected to imminently move into the first organized settlement in the Tabarre neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. An additional four organized settlement sites in Port-au-Prince have been selected for establishment. ¶10. The cluster, the USAID/DART, and the GoH continue to evaluate potential locations for additional settlement sites. USAID/DART staff highlight that rubble removal is critical to expanding available land to accommodate displaced persons and to facilitate reconstruction efforts. Initial estimates identify as much as 20 million cubic yards of rubble in need of removal from the capital. ¶11. On February 2, the USAID/DART shelter and settlements advisor met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) staff to discuss a plan for managing rubble and debris removal, salvaging, processing, and disposal in Port-au-Prince. USAID/Haiti and USACE will take the lead on implementing a debris-clearing project under the U.N. Flash Appeal. In addition, USAID/OFDA, USAID/Haiti, and USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) will support cash-for-work debris removal activities through implementing partners. A number of USAID/Haiti and USAID/OTI programs have already commenced, employing more than 6,000 people in Port-au-Prince and Petit Goave as of February 3. [Note: Reftel Port A 0100 details the USAID/DART shelter strategy. End Note.] -------------- Logistics and Emergency Relief Supplies -------------- ¶12. OCHA reports that between 120 and 150 planes continue to utilize the Port-au-Prince airport daily, with flights divided between civilian humanitarian and U.S. military flights. USAID/DART staff report new security measures at the airport as of February 2, including restricted access and designated entrance gates. In addition, OCHA reports that procedures for identification validation and escorts will take effect in the coming days. ¶13. The Joint Operations and Tasking Center (JOTC),the new structure launched by MINUSTAH to coordinate relief activities, including security support for humanitarian organizations, is operating smoothly, according to the U.N. The U.S. and Canadian militaries, as well as OCHA, participate in the operations system, in addition to MINUSTAH military and civilian staff. ¶14. As part of efforts to expedite and expand relief supply distributions, the Shelter and NFI Cluster has instituted a new timeline of 72 hours for international NGOs to retrieve NFIs from the airport or warehouses. Previously, NGOs requested and reserved NFIs but failed to pick up items, causing significant system delays. In addition, the cluster continues to reach out to the local NGO community, and both IOM and the USAID/DART have identified focal points for local NGOs at the U.N. logistics base. In some areas, local NGOs continue to form consortiums and assign lead agencies. ¶15. On February 2, IOM reported that aid agencies have distributed or are planning to imminently distribute more than 53,000 plastic sheets and tarpaulins, more than 9,000 family tents, and 126,000 water containers, as well as hygiene kits, ropes, family toolkits, mosquito nets, and kitchen sets. At present, IOM reports that more than 55 aid agencies are working to reach more than 1 million earthquake-affected individuals with emergency shelter and relief supplies. -------------- WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE -------------- ¶16. By February 1, the WASH Cluster was distributing water to an estimated 519,000 individuals per day in Port-au-Prince, Leogane, and Jacmel, an increase from the 464,000 individuals reached as of January 29. Agencies continue to distribute bottled water to hospitals, clinics, and orphanages. According to Save the Children, although water continues to be reported as an urgent need in some areas of Jacmel, many of the pre-existing water sources remain accessible. ¶17. On January 30, the GoH National Direction for Potable Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) signaled a plan to transition away from water tankering and toward increasing on-site water access, including through boreholes in low-lying areas and water storage and disinfection support. ¶18. With safe drinking water needs largely met, the WASH Cluster has shifted to prioritizing increased sanitation support for earthquake-affected individuals, noting that an estimated 7,000 latrines are required in the near term. Partners working in Port-au-Prince, Leogane, and Jacmel have agreed to a distribution plan for 1,169 latrine slabs, and relief agencies have constructed or are in the process of constructing approximately 292 latrines to benefit 29,200 people. According to the USAID/DART WASH officer, despite a significant supply of latrine slabs, partners report slow latrine construction due to shortages of supporting materials and inadequate disposal options. ¶19. The WASH cluster is considering various sanitation options for the densely populated settlements in Port-au-Prince, including locally produced portable toilets currently available in limited quantities. The cluster is reviewing a proposal from a private company in the U.S. to work with local companies to purchase U.S. equipment and trucks and manage the collection and disposal of wastes in high-density settlements. -------------- HEALTH -------------- ¶20. With hospitals and the USNS COMFORT continuing to treat traumatic injuries and perform surgeries, the Health Cluster and its partners have begun to prioritize post-operative care and assistance to disabled persons, as well as primary health care provision for displaced persons through the deployment of mobile health clinics and support to fixed health care sites. The Health Cluster has also highlighted the need for the provision of medical services in areas outside Port-au-Prince. ¶21. Since January 29, the USAID/DART health officer has visited a number of mobile clinic sites in Carrefour, Gressier, and Port-au-Prince, noting adequate medical supplies but insufficient medical staff to address current needs. Most clinics treat between 100 and 200 people per day. The health officer confirmed the significant decrease in trauma cases, but reported growing numbers of respiratory infections and cases of diarrhea. ¶22. In order to meet post-operative needs, while creating more space for untreated patients on the USNS COMFORT, USAID/OFDA is funding a federal medical station (FMS) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC),valued at $570,000. Each FMS provides beds, supplies, and medicines for 250 patients. The FMS will be operational on February 5. USAID/OFDA has also funded the U.N. World Health Organization to provide nine emergency health kits to help treat 90,000 people over a period of three months. Five kits have been dispatched to implementing partners in affected areas and four are scheduled to arrive February 4. In support of infectious disease prevention and response, USAID/OFDA is also providing laboratory supplies and equipment, valued at $240,000, to the GoH Ministry of Health's National Laboratory to help rehabilitate its capacity to conduct clinical surveillance. The CDC will provide technical assistance for the project. ¶23. The USAID/DART nutrition officer continues to help inform additional USAID/OFDA support for nutrition interventions by monitoring malnutrition rates and feeding programs and liaising with the nutrition cluster and partners. Reftel PORT A 0114. -------------- USAR TEAM AND USAID/OFDA DONATIONS -------------- ¶24. The USAID/DART and members of U.S. Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams continue to coordinate the distribution of USAID/OFDA-funded supplies used during the search and rescue phase to orphanages and health facilities in Port-au-Prince. To date, donations to five hospitals, one clinic, and six orphanages include seven 20-foot diameter tents; three 19x35-foot tents; seven generators; 130 sleeping bags; 100 sleeping bags, and 30 cots. -------------- USAID ASSISTANCE TO DATE -------------- ¶25. As of February 3, USAID had contributed nearly $295.8 million in earthquake response funding, including more than $195.7 million from USAID/OFDA, $68 million from USAID's Office of Food for Peace, $20 million from USAID/OTI (including $15 million transferred from USAID/Haiti),nearly $11.1 million from USAID/Haiti, and $1 million from USAID/Dominican Republic. On February 3, USAID/OFDA provided nearly $7 million in additional funding to NGO partners Relief International and the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) to support economic recovery and market systems, shelter and settlements, health, WASH activities, humanitarian logistics, and NFI provision. In total, the U.S. Government has contributed more than $464 million in earthquake response funding for Haiti to date. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED MERTEN