Local Editor
Two years of intense conflict have exacted a heavy toll on the country’s health system, as well as on water and sanitation services, and we’re entering the peak season for the spread of diarrhoeal diseases in Yemen. The number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen continues to rise, reaching 101 820 with 791 deaths as of 7 June 2017.
Worst affected are the country’s most vulnerable: children under the age of 15 years account for 46% of cases, and those aged over 60 years represent 33% of fatalities. Cases of the disease have been confirmed in 19 of the country’s 23 governorates WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are honing in on areas reporting the highest number of cases to stop the disease from spreading further.
Challenges:
WHO is in full emergency mode responding to an escalating cholera outbreak in Yemen.
There’s not enough capacity in the country right now to respond effectively. The country’s health system has been nearly destroyed by more than two years of intense conflict.
Less than half of the country’s health centers are fully functional.
Medical supplies are flowing into the country at a third of the rate that they were entering Yemen before March 2015.
Important infrastructure has been damaged by the violence, cutting 14.5 million people off from regular access to clean water and sanitation.
Health and sanitation workers have not received their salaries in more than eight months.
Combination of cholera and malnutrition is also a serious issue.
Health and water and sanitation intervention:
Nearly 3.5 million people across the country have been reached by disinfecting water tanker filling stations, chlorinating drinking water, restoration of water treatment plants, rehabilitation of water supply systems, providing household water treatments and distributing hygiene kits (soaps and washing powders).
The current case fatality ratio nationally is less than 1%, however there are pockets with higher case fatality rates such as Ibb, Raymah, Dhamar, Hajjah and Al Mahwit. These ‘hot spots’ are the source of much of the country’s cholera transmission. If we stop cholera in these places, we can slow the spread of the disease and save lives. The Organization is bringing in medical supplies, working to rapidly expand the network of treatment centers and carrying out key prevention activities.
Since 27 April, WHO has provided more than 197 000 bags of intravenous fluids, 410 beds with cleaning supplies, 62 cholera kits (drugs module) and another 17 supplementary cholera kits (renewable supply, equipment, logistics and stationary modules). WHO, in collaboration with partners, has supported the establishment almost 100 diarrhea treatment centers and 166 oral rehydration therapy corners.
On 25 May, a WHO-chartered Boeing 777 carrying intravenous fluids and cholera kits has successfully landed at Sana’a airport in Yemen. At 67 tons, it constitutes the largest planeload of medical goods WHO has brought into the country since the escalation of the conflict in March 2015. A further 13 tons of supplies have been sent to Aden.
Cholera vaccination?
The use of the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) is just one of the tools available to combat outbreaks.
It is more important to ensure that people can access safe drinking water and effective treatment.
Many aspects should be considered before a vaccination campaign: access to the people and places where the cholera is present, logistical constrains (for example availability of cold chain to store the vaccines safely), availability of the vaccines (we have a worldwide stockpiles of 2 millions cholera vaccines to respond to many outbreak of cholera in different countries). The stocks should be used in a rational way), trained health workers, enough partners on the ground to conduct the campaign, availability of human and financial resources and social mobilization activities.
Treatment?
The disease can kill within hours if left untreated. The treatment itself should be simple – oral rehydration solution for mild cases and a combination of antibiotics and IV fluids for severe cases – but in the middle of a conflict, it is not so easy.
Source :News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
