THE ANALYSIS OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ROLES ON DELIVERING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE: RESPONDING TO CHOLERA EPIDEMIC IN HAITI (2013-2018)

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze and assess the roles of World Health Organization in humanitarian assistance to response the cholera epidemic in Haiti for the period of 2013-2018. Cholera is an infectious disease caused severe diarrhea transmitted through water bone medium that can kill the victims if is not immediately be treated. In 2010, the disease occurred in Haiti and the situation has now becoming an epidemic. With the low capacity building to recover the devastation condition, the national government began to request assistance from the international community. As one of the prominent actors in global health, the World Health Organization has been provided humanitarian assistance since the outbreak of the disease and continued to implement its long-term commitment to eliminate cholera from Haiti. In analyzing the case brought in this research is used Liberal Institutionalism in addressing the relation between World Health Organization in delivering humanitarian assistance as a form of aid cooperation towards its member state, Haiti. This is followed with the concept of International Organization and Humanitarian Assistance in order to understand the roles of World Health Organization through the implementation of health programs in response towards the cholera epidemic. There are several health programs conducted in controlling and preventing the transmission of cholera in Haiti conducted by the Organization including Epidemiological Surveillance, Public Health Services, Oral Cholera Vaccination and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. From the conduct of the following programs, there are three significant roles of World Health Organization that can be found in response to cholera epidemic which are: (1) Coordinating, (2) Facilitating, and (3) Technical Cooperation. With the presence of these three roles, WHO has optimized its role as an international organization to overcome cholera disease not only in Haiti but in many countries.