Haiti's Misery Index Rising Daily: Resources Urgently Needed For Food And Infrastructure

Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Josette Sheeran, called on donor nations to fully fund urgent hunger needs
and infrastructure rehabilitation in Haiti, which has been ravaged by a
succession of tropical storms.



"The misery index is rising daily and this will require a massive effort
to help people stave off hunger and save lives," said Sheeran.



Sheeran is the first head of a United Nations agency to visit Haiti since
the catastrophe struck. She flew straight to Gonaives on Friday where she
visited the Lyce?© Fabr?© Greffrard, currently being used as an emergency
shelter for families who lost everything in the floods.



Since September 5, WFP has distributed food to 285,000 people in more than
57 shelters across the city. WFP is working with the IOM, UNICEF, Caritas,
Care, Yel?© Haiti, Amurt and the Haitian Civil Protection Office.



WFP needs US$54 million for food, logistics and emergency
telecommunications to meet urgent hunger needs.



"The US, Japan, EC, Switzerland and Canada have stepped up with almost $11
million and we can meet urgent food needs until the end of November.
Despite this show of generosity from many nations, we need more help so we
can continue with the emergency operation and our other programmes here
that will contribute to the longer-term solution President Pr?©val and the
people of Haiti so desperately need," she said.



Almost one month after the disaster struck destroying roads and 3,000
houses, three million cubic metres of mud still need to be removed from the
city. Fifty thousand people continue to take refuge in shelters.



WFP is now providing food for workers who are helping to clear mud from 50
schools, most of them in Gonaives, so they can restart on November 1.



It has also set up a food distribution system across the city giving
priority to women to ensure children are properly nourished. The agency
aims to feed 800,000 people in Haiti in urgent need of food assistance
because of the catastrophe.



There is widespread concern about the spread of skin diseases, respiratory
infections, dysentery, hepatitis, tetanus, typhoid and a serious risk of a
malaria epidemic.



The tropical storms also destroyed vast areas of crops threatening more
hunger and misery.



"We are determined to help the Haitian people out of this emergency and
work toward longer-term sustainable solutions as we do," said Sheeran.



WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency and the UN's frontline
agency for hunger solutions. This year, WFP plans to feed around 90 million
people in 80 countries.



WFP