Spain to send aid to help control Haiti's cholera outbreak

Spain's International Development Cooperation Agency (AECID) on Monday decided to render assistance to Haiti to help control the spreading cholera outbreak in the Caribbean country, Development Cooperation Minister Soraya Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez told reporters that a plane of goods will be sent to Haiti, including 15 tones of serum, sanitary materials and pills to make water drinkable in order to stop the cholera epidemic, which already have killed 259 people.

Rodriguez said this aid was offered by non-governmental organizations and corrdinated by Spanish non-governmental organizations working in Haiti.

Spain has activated an emergency fund of 2.5 million euros, which have allowed buying two tons of chlorine, soap bars and 24 million pills to make water drinkable.

Each one of the pills can make some 4.5 liters of drinkable water, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez also said that plane will be sent on Tuesday and "it is only the beginning of the aid, because we are having contact with serum and potabilizing pills suppliers in Latin America and the United States."

"We are also evaluating the possibility of sending a cargo ship," Rodriguez said.

Source: Xinhua