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Haiti earthquake: talk about life-saving toilets
By Sarah Oughton
February 5, 2010 at 10:46 am
Okay so toilets may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to life-saving equipment, but think again. Without decent sanitation facilities, diseases like cholera can spread like wild fire and as was seen in the Zimbabwe crisis last year – thousands of people can die as a result.
In an article on Reuters AlertNet, the UN reports that 7,000 latrines are urgently needed in Haiti to help prevent the spread of disease.
My colleague, Sharon Reader, is currently in Port-au-Prince with our sanitation emergency response unit. Listen in as I speak to her and find out how it’s all going.
Image © Joe Lowry/IFRC
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Tags: emergency response, emergency response unit, ERU, Haiti, Haiti earthquake, haiti earthquake appeal, latrines, sanitation, toilets, video, water and sanitation
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Sarah Oughton
Sarah writes about all things international for the website and publications at the British Red Cross.
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- 17: Global snapshots: the Spanish Red Cross
- 15: World Cup condoms (in case you score)
- 14: Crazed young students assault manikin
- 11: Chile: more than 200 aftershocks since the quake
- 11: How would you deal with a dog bite?
- 10: Football with heart – West Bromwich support Chile Earthquake Appeal
- 10: Working for free: a sound investment
- 09: Gearing up for the London Marathon
- 09: Buttering burns is a first aid horror
- 08: Red Cross celebrates International Women’s Day
- 07: Spooked by ghosts? Call the Red Cross
- 06: Students decide the rules of war in Paxium
- 05: Order amidst chaos in Haiti and Chile
- 05: How the Chile quake shortened the day
- 04: My first first aid experience
- 03: Send in the clowns: local performers promote hygiene in Haiti
- 03: Why were the Chile and Haiti earthquakes so different?
- February 2010 (23)
- 27: Armenia: befriending elderly refugees
- 25: Choke alert! Beware killer hot dogs
- 24: Clutter for cash for Haiti
- 23: Sex workers trained to use defibrillators
- 23: Haiti: a disaster tourist destination?
- 22: Video: reuniting Haitian families
- 22: Help make first aid in schools a reality
- 18: Lindsay Lohan fundraiser for Haiti video
- 17: Mini-fundraisers wear ‘Hats for Haiti’
- 15: Haiti aid worker diary: the last week
- 13: Why Red Cross volunteers make the perfect Valentine date
- 12: A snapshot of Haiti: from toilets and tarpaulins to pride amidst poverty
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- 10: How are the volunteers in Haiti doing?
- 09: Loki the Red Cross water rescue dog
- 09: Life at the Haiti Hilton
- 08: Haiti disaster challenge: How would you have run things?
- 08: Haiti earthquake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Monday
- 07: A view from Haiti
- 05: Haiti earthquake: talk about life-saving toilets
- 04: Haiti earthquake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Thursday
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- 01: Volunteer for us – a little of your time could go a long way
- January 2010 (40)
- 29: Haiti earthquake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Friday
- 28: You don’t have to leave the UK to make a difference in Haiti
- 28: Event first aid podcast: could you?
- 27: Haiti quake: latrines, logistics and linking up recovery
- 26: Haiti collection strikes gold at Tesco
- 26: Haiti earthquake: live update from hygiene aid worker
- 25: Your unwanted ‘stuff’ can save lives in Haiti
- 25: Haiti quake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Monday
- 24: Loos will save lives in Haiti
- 23: Haiti quake: bringing life-saving water
- 22: Haiti video: tremendous response from around the world
- 22: Haiti podcast: how do we help people recover?
- 22: Help raise money for Haiti through our charity shops and Tesco
- 21: Haiti podcast: sending relief to survivors
- 21: Haiti earthquake: live news update from Red Cross relief delegate
- 21: Haiti quake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Thursday
- 20: Aid worker reports on Haiti earthquake
- 20: Haiti hit by another quake
- 20: Haiti videos: Relief and health care after the earthquake
- 19: Haiti quake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Tuesday
- 19: How would you respond to the Haiti earthquake?
- 18: Haiti earthquake podcast: interview with aid workers
- 18: Help not hinder Haiti
- 18: Haiti quake: Red Cross aid worker diary – Monday
- 16: Where we’ve responded to the snow
- 16: Hiatus in Haiti
- 15: Getting aid to Haiti quake survivors
- 14: Fear and loss for survivors in Haiti
- 13: How the Red Cross is helping in Haiti
- 11: Never fear, Unimog’s here!
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- 07: Battling the snow: diary of an emergency responder
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- 26: Roundup: Boxing Day tsunami, five years on
- 23: Red Cross parcels: the ultimate last minute gift!
- 22: Don’t choke on your brussel sprouts this Christmas
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- 16: International Youth Camp (2) – HINIVUU
- 15: International Youth Camp 2009 (1)
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- 09: The tsunami challenge: five things you should know
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- 04: From Chernobyl to lingerie
- 04: Logistics of disaster relief – part three
- 04: Guest post from Kenya: working in unity
- 03: First aid audioblog: Would you know what to do?
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- 30: World AIDS day-ABC style
- 30: Take a quiz, win a 2010 calendar!
- 30: Guest post from Kenya: “Be the change you want to see in the world”
- 30: Disaster Déjà Vu
- 27: How to make £22,000 in four hours
- 27: Video: Heroes all under one roof
- 27: Indonesia: the road to recovery begins
- 27: Guest blog from Kenya: celebrating young people’s contribution
- 26: Giving thanks
- 26: Fighting fire and fear in Peckham
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- 25: How your donations help when disasters strike
- 25: Guest post from Kenya: “Jambo! Karibu Kenya”
- 24: Virtual violations: Computer games and the laws of war
- 24: Guest post: Preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in Lesotho
- 23: The Artist Within
- 23: My crap holiday (2)
- 20: Cockermouth floods: ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’
- 20: A quiet weekend in Hampshire
- 20: Fighting the floods in Cockermouth
- 19: I blog occasionally, therefore I am a bit lazy
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- 18: Kiss of life: a waste of time?
- 18: Indonesia relief: Get it in and get it out
- 17: My crap holiday (1)
- 17: DR ABC – the doctor of first aid
- 16: Guest post from Armenia
- 12: Muppets, snot and swine flu
- 11: Crafty fundraising ideas
- 11: Delivering relief in Indonesia earthquake zone
- 11: From Sierra Leone to Selly Oaks…and Beyond
- 11: Becoming jobless
- 10: Five things you didn’t know about the First World War
- 08: Meetings, Lego and biscuits.
- 06: Bomb blast survivor to volunteer
- 06: Invasion of the younglings
- 04: We’re taking over
- 04: Aid worker interview from Indonesia earthquake zone
- 03: CPR marathon
- 03: Bag winners!
- 02: First aid tips for Bonfire Night
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- 29: Doggy blog
- 29: Logistics of disaster relief – part two
- 26: Monday at the Mosque
- 26: Winners of Friday and Saturday’s cards
- 25: Take a quiz, win bags!
- 23: Cards for comments – free charity Christmas cards!
- 23: Winner of Thursday’s cards
- 22: First aid flirts get hands on
- 22: Misery in the Philippines as third typhoon approaches
- 22: Winner of Wednesday’s cards
- 21: Winner of Tuesday’s cards
- 20: Indonesia: support for traumatised quake survivors
- 20: Worthing’s wheel deal
- 20: Sexpressions 2009
- 20: Winner of Monday’s cards
- 19: I’m a first aid junkie
- 18: Bathtubs of booze
- 16: Top ten things to do on World Food Day
- 15: A climate change catastrophe is looming
- 15: Do you know a hero?
- 14: Would you give your pet first aid?
- 13: Video: children affected by Liberia’s civil war
- 12: Disasters are like buses
- 12: Reporting from Indonesia: tears roll down her face
- 11: This day in history: the start of the second Boer war
- 10: ‘Ello ‘ello ‘ello
- 09: Ready for a safe Halloween
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- 09: Desperate need continues in Indonesia
- 08: A Call to Arms
- 08: Save a life – wear a bra
- 07: Don’t give up
- 07: Reporting from Indonesia: survivors cut off by landslides
- 06: Indonesia: distributing relief amid chaos and destruction
- 06: Reporting from Indonesia: aftershocks and fear
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- 05: Monday Movement update #22
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- 03: Four deadly disasters, one Red Cross
- 02: First aid freebie!
- 01: In the shoes of the Asia Pacific disasters survivors
- 01: Good Food Guide 2010 winner!
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- 30: Responding to disasters in Asia-Pacific
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- 25: Anticipating the worst
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- 28: How first aid hero helped Gumtree casualty
- 26: Jon conquers the world (or at least the Brecon Beacons)
- 26: “Wow to good news.”
- 26: Win a first aid manual!
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- 23: First aid for real on the last day on the road
- 21: How to deal with tea-mergencies
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- 21: Tales from the road (day five)
- 20: Day four of our road show lives
- 20: Tales from the road (day 3)
- 20: Logistics of disaster relief – part one
- 19: Dare you be an aid worker?
- 19: Spring cleaning through history
- 18: Tales from the road (day two)
- 18: Rice has its uses in cricket
- 17: Tales from the road (day one)
- 17: My special days of the week – Part 4
- 17: Guest Blog: Respecting the Geneva Conventions
- 17: Monday Movement update #19
- 15: On your marks, get set, bandage!
- 14: Festival fun with Noah and the Whale
- 14: Nature’s power unleashed!
- 13: On showbiz and fishy whiffs
- 13: Angelina adopts two orphans in Malawi
- 12: On this day in history
- 11: Laughter, Loos and Landmines
- 10: I have a question
- 10: Monday Movement update #18
- 07: The times they are a bein’ developed through a period of consultation
- 07: A picture’s worth a thousand words
- 07: Roll up, roll up.. ask your first aid questions here
- 07: Knee deep in the …
- 06: Happy Christmas!
- 05: Guest blogging from St. Vincent Youth Camp – Part 3
- 05: My special days of the week – Part 3
- 04: Happy birthday, British Red Cross!
- 03: What not to wear
- 03: Guest blogging from St. Vincent Youth Camp – Part 2
- 03: Monday Movement update #17
- 03: Taking it to the Plinth
- 01: How to save a life
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- 30: ‘You’ve got a (flu) friend…’
- 30: Disaster Strikes: ‘Who ya gonna call?!’
- 29: To Blog Or Not To Blog
- 28: Guest blogging from St. Vincent Youth Camp – Part 1
- 27: Training for a Disaster – Monday
- 27: Monday Movement update #16
- 26: A peer what?
- 24: Gunther von Hagens gets the first aid bug
- 23: Help! (I need ten bodies)
- 22: Top tips for fundraising
- 22: My special days of the week
- 22: Stay safe at parties
- 22: Your questions answered: The Red Crystal
- 20: Monday Movement update #15
- 18: Be a weekend hero
- 17: Stilettos and social exclusion in Georgia
- 17: My Life and Achievements with British Red Cross
- 17: A sad day in Jakarta
- 17: Geneva Conventions: Opinions Wanted
- 16: That snot the way to avoid swine flu
- 15: Forget the Ashes
- 14: How to save someone who’s drowning
- 13: Our volunteers – Becky Forecast
- 13: Our volunteers – Caroline Sanderson
- 13: Our husband and wife volunteer team – Colin and Gill Moffat
- 13: Monday Movement update #14
- 13: aMESing
- 12: Why do it?
- 10: Freebie heebie jeebies
- 10: Crisis in Camberwell
- 10: Shape the future of the Geneva Conventions
- 09: Saddle sore in Solferino
- 06: What’s big, red and worthy all over?
- 05: One day. 26 teams. 1,000 Red Cross volunteers
- 03: Where’s my parade?
- 03: Who really are refugees and asylum seekers?
- 03: The journey so far…
- 02: One less thing to do before I die
- 01: To quiz or not to quiz
- 01: Help is just a step away
- June 2009 (32)
- 30: Germany, here we come!
- 29: Postcard from Solferino:5 (well, kind of…)
- 29: Monday Movement update #13
- 27: Postcard from Solferino:4
- 26: Postcard from solferino:3
- 25: Postcard from Solferino:2
- 24: Postcard from Solferino:1
- 19: Meet Daahir in refugee week
- 18: Refugee week – celebrating the contribution of volunteers
- 18: Pakistan Crisis Appeal
- 18: How much do you know about refugees?
- 16: Lunch and learn about Refugee Week
- 16: Hackney to Wimbledon, via Laos
- 15: A fun start to Refugee Week in Bristol
- 15: Things I get asked on first aid duty
- 15: Monday Movement update #12
- 15: Ten things girls should know
- 15: Show your support during Refugee Week
- 14: Mission accomplished in Bangladesh
- 12: A fine notion
- 10: Look beyond the label
- 09: Volunteering during an economic downturn
- 09: London’s best charity shop
- 08: Vegans need first aid too
- 08: Monday Movement update #11
- 05: Indiana Claire and the priceless Afghan artifacts
- 05: The difference we make
- 05: Bragging for a cause
- 01: Duel over a feathered mule: swishing party tips
- 01: Monday Movement update #10
- 01: Volunteer – feel less rubbish!
- 01: Volunteering during an economic downturn
- May 2009 (17)
- 29: Fintastic logistics training
- 26: How will you celebrate Refugee Week?
- 20: The perfect eco-friendly bag
- 18: Hair me out…
- 18: Monday Movement update #9
- 15: Water way to see Austria
- 14: Could you write about neglected crises?
- 14: First aid for bashed up kids
- 13: Swine flu and the hand washing bug
- 13: What does the British Red Cross represent to you?
- 13: Fighting fear and fire in California
- 11: All hands to the bucket
- 11: Monday Movement Update #8
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- 06: From Number 10 to the Caribbean
- 06: Community spirit hits home
- 01: Hair we go again
- April 2009 (19)
- 28: Sanitation tests my sanity
- 27: Monday Movement update #7
- 24: Why I went to prison
- 23: I can dress a plastic baby
- 22: Top ten last-minute marathon tips
- 21: The mind is a wonderful thing…
- 21: Tweeting from Zimbabwe
- 20: Monday Movement update #6
- 20: Not a bum deal
- 17: Keep your wig on
- 15: ‘First aid’ Cambodian style
- 12: Why I became a first aider
- 10: Swishety swish: credit crunch chic
- 09: Why Stephen Fry is my second favourite British man
- 08: Two interns for the price of one
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- 06: It’s good to talk
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- 30: Monday Movement update #4
- 26: Where will you take your next poo?
- 26: It’s card to think of something to write
- 24: Have you reached your peak?
- 24: Teenage twin saved by first aid
- 23: Monday Movement update #3
- 18: Pyjama party
- 18: First aid and whisky
- 17: Monday Movement update
- 13: Becoming a filmmaker in Sierra Leone
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- 13: Preparing for the year ahead
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