Presented during the 2017 Presidential Peace Conference in Atlanta. Track A, Session 4: Solutions to Current Major Health Issues

1. Overview of The Carter Center’s
Hispaniola Initiative
Stephen Blount

2. Goal
The Carter Center works with the ministries of
health in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to
eliminate malaria and lymphatic filariasis from
Hispaniola by 2020.

3. Background

4. Haiti
1987 – Peace delegation
1990 – Election monitoring
1994 – Negotiate power transfer
1995 – Election monitoring
2009 – Launch Bi-national Plan for Malaria
2011 – MDA for LF in Port-au-Prince
& Habitat for Humanity
2012 – Habitat for Humanity
Dominican Republic
1990 – Election monitoring
1996 – Election monitoring
2000 – Election monitoring
2009 – Launch Bi-national Plan for Malaria
President Carter in Hispaniola: a long history

5. “The Task Force concluded that implementation
of an integrated comprehensive programme to
eliminate both malaria and lymphatic filariasis
from the island of Hispaniola is technically
feasible, medically desirable and would be
economically beneficial to both the Dominican
Republic and Haiti.
Such an initiative would require close
cooperation and coordination between the
governments of the 2 countries as well as
intelligent technical and financial assistance from
interested external partners.”
International Task Force for Disease Eradication
May, 2006
WER 2007, 82(4):25-32

6. Integrated approach:
2 Countries
2 Diseases
Vincentetal.,1981AJTMH

7. Ouanaminthe-Dajabon Project
18-month project, launched in Sep. 2008.
Ouanaminthe
Dajabon
• Neighboring border towns:
◦ Ouanaminthe, Haiti (pop. 92,000)
◦ Dajabon, DR (pop. 27,000)
• Provided LLINs, microscopes,
computers, motorbikes.
• Trained local health workers.
• Convened a bi-national coordinating
committee for malaria.
• Created platform for future work.

8. Field visits by bi-national teams to Ouanaminthe and Dajabón.

9. Oct. 2009: Support for Bi-National Malaria Plan

10. Nov. 2011: Launch of LF MDA in Port-au-Prince

11. Hispaniola Initiative Expansion
In 2014, The Carter Center enhanced support for the
Hispaniola Initiative to:
1. Continue promoting bi-national cooperation.
2. Provide technical assistance to the MOHs to re-orient programs
from control to elimination.
3. Update funding needs to achieve 2020 elimination goals and to
help the ministries secure funds.

12. Accomplishments
in 2016

13. Accomplishments in 2016
• Hired Program Manager (Dr. Luccene Desir).
DR – Malaria
• Support for malaria elimination activities: surveillance, diagnostics and
treatment, vector control, outbreak response in Santo Domingo.
• Support for large-scale asymptomatic malaria survey.
• Conducted Migrant Farm Worker Survey.
DR – LF
• Support MDA in East Region.
Haiti – LF
• Support for LF Pre-TAS and TAS surveys in metro-Port-au-Prince.

14. Accomplishments in 2016
Haiti Malaria (Malaria Zero)
• Completed 2016 Community Engagement Plan.
• Community engagement support for Census/HH surveys in Grande Anse.
• Worked with PNCM communications team to develop key messages to be
used in Grand Anse and other MalariaZero-focus areas.
• Submitted a proposal to PNCM to create an Integrated Vector-borne
Disease Unit.
• Following Hurricane Matthew in Oct., committed $30,000 to MSPP for
relief: communications, temporary staff, supplies and equipment.
• Hired a consultant to help complete Community Engagement Plan 2018-
2021.

15. Celebrate Partnerships

16. Consortium Partners

18. Key to success: binational cooperation

19. Inspiration….

20. Mesi - Thank You – Gracias!

23. D.R. Migrant Farm Worker Survey

24. D.R. Migrant Farm Worker Survey