Sarah Palin visits Haiti

Sarah Palin visits a cholera treatment center run by Rev. Franklin Graham's relief organization Samaritan's Purse Photo: AP

Mrs Palin was accompanying US evangelist Franklin Graham and the Samaritan's Purse Christian relief organisation.

Photographs released by the aid group showed her cradling a small child as she comforted victims at a treatment centre for cholera, which has claimed almost 2,200 lives since an outbreak began in October.

Mrs Palin also visited a temporary housing project for victims of the January earthquake that killed 250,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless.

She said: "I've really enjoyed meeting this community. They are so full of joy. We are so fortunate in America and we are responsible for helping those less fortunate. Samaritan's Purse is still here doing the tough work."

Mrs Palin came top in a recent poll of Republican voters asked to name their favoured challenger against President Barack Obama in 2012.

The trip to Haiti was her first overseas since last year when she delivered an economic speech in Hong Kong.