Haiti is currently battling a cholera outbreak in its Artibonite River Valley. The epidemic could hit Port-au-Prince any day now. Meanwhile, the Red Cross has been working to prevent the spread of the disease. The Red Cross is sending public health text message tips to help Haitians in affected areas treat their symptoms and those in areas not yet hit by cholera to take preventative measures.

In the area affected by the cholera outbreak already, the Red Cross is sending the message : "Drink ORS (oral rehydration solution) to treat diarrhea. One liter of treated water, 8 teaspoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt." In Creole, though, not English, of course. Some 30,000 mobile phone users will get that message, according to a report over at NPR.

Some 350,000 mobile phone users in Port-au-Prince are receiving a different message that is meant to prevent cholera: "Wash your hands thoroughly with soap to protect against cholera – front, back, between the fingers and nails for 20 seconds."

Earlier this year following the massive earthquake in Haiti, we reported on one survivor's use of an iPhone app to treat his wounds. A group of remote monitoring companies pledged to donate equipment to healthcare organizations working in Haiti, too. We also noted the ongoing initiative to help create a healthcare system based on a mobile phone-enabled electronic medical records system in the country.

For more on the Red Cross' SMS messages for cholera prevention and treatment in Haiti, read this NPR article