Child protection activities involving large groups have been suspended. However, actors are continuing select routine activities in small groups while respecting physical distancing and/or on an individual basis to ensure ongoing service delivery such as case management, psychosocial support, home visits and cash assistance.

Preventive activities in the nutrition sector, including active screening for malnutrition at the community level, were suspended. In some localities, health institutions receive only emergency cases and are being frequented less and less by population to avoid exposure. As a result, malnourished children sometimes do not get the necessary care.

Food insecurity is expected to increase significantly in the context of COVID-19. While the impact is currently being assessed, regular response activities have been adapted to the new context by introducing hygiene measures and carrying out sensitization on the spread of the virus with the beneficiaries.

During the week of 6 to 12 April 2020, the WFP and its partners distributed 349 tons of food to 4,869 households (24,345 people) in the departments of Grand'Anse, Nippes, West. In the coming weeks, distributions will continue in the departments of Ouest, Grand'Anse, Artibonite, Nippes and Nord for a total of about 10,000 households.

At the same time, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and partners are organizing a distribution of seeds and seedlings for 9,900 vulnerable households for sowing/planting in the spring season 2020, in the departments of Grand'Anse, North-West, North-East and Nippes. FAO is also purchasing vegetable seeds, veterinary drugs and goats to assist 13,000 vulnerable households in the same departments, which will benefit from vegetable production (9,500 households, 60% of which are women heads of household), veterinary treatment of their sick animals (2,500 households) and restocking of small livestock (1,000 women/girls heads of household) starting May 2020.

Additional funding is urgently required to continue activities in response to food insecurity.

HL/ HaitiLibre