UN report finds nearly 2,500 cholera deaths in West and Central Africa

UN report finds nearly 2,500 cholera deaths in West and Central Africa

2011-10-12 20:21:29 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations (UN) on Wednesday described the cholera outbreaks across West and Central Africa as 'one of the worst ever,' saying it has resulted in nearly 2,500 deaths this year alone.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for an urgent increase in the efforts to combat the cholera outbreaks, calling on governments to coordinate their preparation and response measures not only within their borders but also with neighboring countries to prevent the spread of the disease.

According to the UN, the region has had more than 85,000 cholera cases so far this year, resulting in at least 2,466 deaths, making it one of the worst epidemics in the region's history. In addition, fatality rates remain alarmingly high, ranging from 2.3 percent to 4.7 percent and reaching much higher levels in countries such as Cameroon.

The agency also stated that authorities in the region could play a key role to save lives, stressing that the information exchange between cross-border districts on caseloads and population movements, as well as cross-border inspections for disinfection and chlorination are ways to contain the disease and save lives.

There are currently three major cross-border epidemic outbreaks in the region: the Lake Chad Basin which includes Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger, the West Congo Basin comprising of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic (CAR), and Lake Tanganyika which includes the DRC and Burundi.

The most significant increase in the number of cases, however, are concentrated in Chad, Cameroon and the DRC. Smaller cholera epidemics in Benin, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, and Togo are reportedly under control.

UNICEF has been providing treatment kits, carrying out awareness campaigns and assisting with surveys to ensure that efforts are effectively targeting those who need assistance. Health and sanitation experts from UNICEF arrived to CAR last week after the Government confirmed an outbreak.

West and Central Africa are extremely vulnerable to cholera outbreaks because access rates to water and sanitation in the region are among the lowest in the world. The disease is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium.

Although response measures can help contain its spread, the most effective way of fighting the disease is to tackle its cause by ensuring access to clean water and raising awareness of the importance of sanitation and hygiene standards.

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