- An Exchange of Notes (E/N) concerning a general grant amounting to 257 million JPY in aid for the “Project for Reinforcement of Cholera Prevention in Plateau Central” was signed on 11 March 2014 in Port-Au-Prince, the Republic of Haiti, between Mr. Katsuyoshi Tamura, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Haiti and Mr. Eduard Beigbeder, UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Haiti.
- Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. As a result of long-term political and economical turbulence, basic health services have not been able to fully reach its people and because of this, health-related indicators such as infant and maternal mortality rates are the worst among the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Furthermore, since the earthquake in January 2010, cholera outbreaks have a repeating occurrence, and the number of patients suffering from cholera has been increasing rapidly in part as a result of both damage and under-development of the country’s water and sanitation infrastructure.
- This project aims to provide Plateau Central, which is one of the regions of Haiti with the highest prevalence of cholera, with various forms assistance including the installment of water and sanitation facilities and infrastructure, education on sanitary habits and practices, and strengthening the capacities of relevant organizations. This is expected to enable this region of Haiti to improve its health and sanitation and promote the use of safe water, and thereby decrease the prevalence of cholera.
- Japan has been assisting Haiti mainly in the fields of health, sanitation and education with the aim of restoring damaged infrastructure and ensuring basic social services in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which includes ensuring the country’s food security. This grant-aid project is one part of Japan’s greater programme of assistance to Haiti.
（Reference） The land area of the Republic of Haiti is 27,700 km2, its population is about 10.17 million (World Bank, 2012) and its gross national income (GNI) per capita is 760 USD (World Bank, 2012).
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