Haiti - Technology : The GSCF supports again the fight against the epidemic
Following the cholera epidemic that spreads in Haiti since October, the French Disaster Relief Group (Groupe de Secours Catastrophe Français GSCF) sending a team once again in Haiti, it will leave Paris on January 28, 2011. In effect, the cholera epidemic still rampant in the country, and recent reports on the subject show that the disease was the cause today of nearly 4,000 deaths, a figure constantly increasing.
The primary objective of the mission is to put in place, WATA devices of chlorine production, in camps [a method developed by the NGO Antenna Technologies, based in Geneva]. These simple devices, they allows to transform, by electrolysis, a salt water solution (25 g/l of salt) in a concentration of chlorine (6 g/l). Each liter of concentrate allow, by dilution, to purify 4,000 litres of water on average.
This chlorination kills or inactivates the majority (99.9%) of pathogenic microorganisms in water, in a "manner" extremely reliable. This chlorine solution will also be used as a disinfectant for multiple uses. Diluted to various degrees, it can serve to the hygiene of the latrines, disinfection of kitchen utensils or washing raw foods but also it is very useful as an antiseptic.
Last cholera assessment : since the beginning of the cholera epidemic in Haiti (October 19, 2010), 199.467 people were infected and treated, 112.656 people were hospitalized and 3.927 people died. According to the latest report from the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), dated of January 17, 2011.
