At a glance
CDC established an office in Haiti in 2002 and works closely with Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and partner organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization, and other non-governmental organizations to detect, respond to, and contain public health threats. CDC’s work aims to protect the health of Americans and support public health around the world.
Key accomplishments
- With MSPP and Haiti’s National Public Health Laboratory, CDC supported the establishment and continued advancement of Haiti’s National Epidemiological Surveillance Network to monitor disease trends and detect potential outbreaks in real time. The network covers over 65% of health facilities across the country and 42 priority pathogens.
- CDC’s collaboration with Haiti’s national laboratory has strengthened the country’s diagnostic network by expanding regional capacity, decentralizing services, and improving biosafety and biosecurity.
- For priority diseases like HIV, the network now includes four regional hubs, 28 early infant diagnosis (EID) sites, and 13 GeneXpert viral load laboratories across all 10 departments, with about 71% of EID testing conducted outside the national lab.
- A biosafety level 3 laboratory was also established to improve detection and treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
- Since 2011, the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) has trained more than 625 public health professionals who have responded to more than 5,000 national and subnational case investigations and emergency events including cholera, diphtheria, rabies, anthrax, COVID-19, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
- With MSPP, CDC has strengthened systems enabling timely detection, response, and containment of emerging health threats through the development and training of rapid responder cadres, health emergency operational planning, and enhanced multisectoral coordination.
- CDC supports data modernization in Haiti through the development of tools such as the electronic medical record, iSantePlus. Initially developed for HIV patient care, it is currently being used to automate disease reporting at health facilities.
Global health security
CDC’s collaboration with MSPP has resulted in substantial advancements in health security and public health system strengthening to improve the country’s ability to detect and contain disease outbreaks and emergencies by strengthening laboratory and disease surveillance capacity, emergency preparedness and response, and workforce capacity, as well as facilitating immunization efforts.
Emergency response
CDC works closely with MSPP to strengthen public health emergency management systems enabling timely detection, response, and containment of emerging health threats. Guided by CDC’s systematic health emergency planning approach to identify gaps and support sustainable and effective systems, Haiti’s capacity to analyze, operationalize, and integrate existing emergency response resources into the broader public health landscape continues to be strengthened.
CDC significantly contributed to MSPP’s COVID-19 response by offering both technical and financial support across various areas, including surveillance, case management, and vaccine administration. Additionally, CDC staff were integral to the national incident management team and provided guidance on policy decisions while funding essential health activities.
Workforce development
CDC's FETP trains doctors, nurses, computer scientists, lab technicians, and veterinarians throughout Haiti to serve as ready-to-deploy responders to detect and respond to outbreaks and emergency events, such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Graduates provide crucial epidemiological expertise in their daily roles as well as during emergencies.
HIV and TB
As a key implementer of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CDC plays an essential role in the fight against HIV and TB. With unmatched scientific and technical knowledge and long-standing relationships with ministries of health, CDC is uniquely positioned to advance HIV, TB, and other global health security activities that keep Americans safe at home and abroad.
Through PEPFAR, CDC provides critical support to Haiti's public health infrastructure, improving the country's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to HIV, TB, and other infectious diseases and minimizing their risk from entering the U.S.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)
Waterborne diseases, including cholera, can quickly spread from isolated cases to large outbreaks, particularly after natural disasters or during public health emergencies. In 2022, Haiti experienced a resurgence of cholera after more than three years without reported cases. Although case numbers remain lower than during the 2011 peak, cholera continues to pose a persistent public health threat.
CDC works closely with MSPP to prevent and respond to waterborne disease outbreaks. Efforts include assessing and improving water treatment systems, strengthening diarrheal disease surveillance, enhancing laboratory capacity for diagnosis and water testing, and expanding access to safe, quality water. CDC also supports the improvement and evaluation of WASH systems, oral cholera vaccination campaigns, early detection initiatives, and rapid outbreak response, including in the aftermath of natural disasters.
Vaccine-preventable diseases
CDC provides technical support to Haiti’s vaccination programs for governance, vaccine strategy, surveillance and diagnosis.
©UNICEF/U.S.CDC/UN#/Rouzier
Neglected tropical diseases
Dengue
CDC provides technical assistance to the National Public Health Laboratory in the investigation and testing protocols for dengue.
Lymphatic filariasis
CDC has assisted with strategic planning for lymphatic filariasis elimination, including new strategies to deliver mass drug administration medicines to at-risk populations.
Rabies
Haiti has the highest rate of human deaths from rabies in the Western Hemisphere and limited rabies vaccine availability for animals and humans. In 2013, CDC began working with the Haitian government to initiate the Haiti Animal Rabies Surveillance Program. Using a multidisciplinary strategy, the program is a cost-effective intervention to reduce annual outbreaks and the risk of human rabies deaths. Each year, this program helps more than 2,000 bite victims. CDC also works with the Haitian government to provide supplies and technical assistance to maintain critical laboratory-based surveillance capacity and implement mass dog vaccination campaigns.
Malaria
CDC has provided technical assistance on malaria control and elimination activities and interventions. Within the Caribbean region, malaria remains endemic only on Hispaniola. CDC supported MSPP and other partners in adopting rapid diagnostic tests, monitoring for antimalarial drug resistance, case management, vector control, surveillance, and adopting policies for community health workers to test and treat malaria.
Infection prevention and control
CDC supported the development of infection prevention and control measures and the update of standard operating procedures for healthcare facilities. These improvements allow for rapid detection and containment of emerging threats in healthcare settings before they spread to patients and communities.
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