The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has asked member states to inform him by March 6 if they intend to make voluntary financial contributions to the implementation of the new UN plan to counter cholera in Haiti,.
“Earlier this week, the Secretary-General sent a letter to all member states” in that regard, Stéphane Dujarric, the secretary general’s spokesman said.
As you are aware, under the new approach, the UN is intensifying support to the Haitian government in building sound water, sanitation and health systems – the best long-term defense against cholera and other water-borne diseases – and also developing a support package to provide material assistance and support to Haitians most directly affected by cholera,”Dujarric added.
In his letter, the Secretary-General recalled that the UN bears a moral responsibility for ensuring that the new approach – launched in a report to UN member states on December 1, 2016 – is implemented.
Costing about US$400 million over the next two years, the proposed UN package under the new approach will center on two different elements, known as “Track One” and “Track Two,” the UN said.
The cholera outbreak has affected an estimated 788,000 people and claimed the lives of more than 9,000.
