Volume 17, Number 11—November 2011
THEME ISSUE
CHOLERA IN HAITI
Dispatch
Cholera Prevention Training Materials for Community Health Workers, Haiti, 2010–2011
Anu Rajasingham
, Anna B. Bowen, Ciara O’Reilly, Kari Sholtes, Katie Schilling, Catherine Hough, Joan Brunkard, Jean Wysler Domercant, Gerald Lerebours, Jean Cadet, Robert Quick, and Bobbie Person
, Anna B. Bowen, Ciara O’Reilly, Kari Sholtes, Katie Schilling, Catherine Hough, Joan Brunkard, Jean Wysler Domercant, Gerald Lerebours, Jean Cadet, Robert Quick, and Bobbie PersonTable 2
Key cholera questions and response messages for community health workers, Haiti, 2011
| What is cholera disease? |
| Cholera disease causes a lot of watery diarrhea and vomiting. |
| Cholera diarrhea can look like cloudy rice water. |
| Cholera can cause death from dehydration (the loss of water and salts from the body) within hours if not treated. |
| How is cholera spread? |
| Cholera germs are found in the feces (poop) or vomit of infected people. |
| Cholera is spread when feces (poop) or vomit from an infected person gets into the water people drink or the food people eat. |
| Cholera is not likely to spread directly from one person to another. |
| What are the key ways to protect yourself and your family from cholera and other diarrheal diseases? |
| Drink and use safe water. (Safe water is water that is bottled with an unbroken seal, has been boiled, or has been treated with a chlorine product.) |
| Wash hands often with soap and safe water. If no soap is available, scrub hands often with ash or sand and rinse with safe water. |
| Use latrines or bury your feces (poop), do not defecate in any body of water. |
| Cook food well (especially seafood), eat it hot, keep it covered, and peel fruits and vegetables. |
| Clean up safely— in the kitchen and in places where your family bathes and washes clothes. |
| What should you do if you or your family is ill with diarrhea? |
| If you have oral rehydration solution (ORS), start taking it now; it can save your life. |
| Go immediately to the nearest health facility, cholera treatment center, or community health worker, if you can. |
| Continue to drink ORS at home and while you travel to get treatment. |
| Continue to breastfeed your baby if they have watery diarrhea, even when traveling to get treatment. |
