As you might know, there is a Cholera outbreak in Haiti affecting thousands. Cholera is an infection of the small intestine caused by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the bacteria. The
main symptoms are the sudden onset of profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid increase in heart rate, dry skin and, sometimes, fever. GCA has established effective control measures relying on prevention,
preparedness and response for teams.
Prevention -
All food at the GCA guest house is being brought in from the States. The Guest House is stocked with purified bottled water for drinking and triple filtered water for showering and cooking. The
tap water is tested daily for purity. All the food is prepared using American standards. GCA kitchen staff are required to wash hands regularly. In addition, the entire Guest House is cleaned daily and sanitized.
Preparedness -
The GCA Guest House will have a Cholera Emergency Kit ready including, rehydration salts, antibiotics, IV fluids and medical staff on hand to administer, if needed. In addition, all team members
have medical evacuation insurance in case of any medical problem. Cholera can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration salts. Very severely dehydrated patients require administration of
intravenous fluids and appropriate antibiotics to diminish the duration of diarrhea, reduce the volume of rehydration fluids needed and shorten the duration of Cholera excretion.
Response -
Any team member showing symptoms of Cholera will be care for immediately. GCA believes that these measures will provide a safe and healthy environment for every team member.
