Local Editor
Yemen Red Crescent volunteers are rushing to provide health and hygiene support to communities unable to access immediate medical care in an effort to stem the rapid spread of cholera across the country.
There have been more than 313,000 suspected cases since the outbreak began in April 2017 with more than 5,000 new suspected cases reported each day, according to the World Health Organization. More than half of all Yemeni hospitals and health facilities are no longer operational and health care staff have not been paid their salaries for over 9 months.
“We are doing everything we can to fill the health care gap by providing cholera prevention messaging, alongside health and hygiene supplies to cure the sick while also training health care and ambulatory staff,” said Pitambar Aryal, Head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Yemen Country Office.
Information can save lives
Yemen Red Crescent volunteers are distributing locally-tailored cholera prevention pamphlets and visual aids to at-risk communities.
“The awareness raising leaflets are in local languages and we also provide illustrated materials for those who cannot read. This helps people to adopt behaviours that will protect them against cholera since communities do not have access to soap or water purification tablets,” said Aryal.
In some governorates, local authorities have requested that the Red Crescent Society increase direct medical assistance alongside awareness raising efforts. “The health and hygiene supplies will support these branches,” Pitambar Aryal added.
Volunteers have helped distribute 5 million chorine tablets, 1 million packets of oral dehydration salts, 30,000 ringer lactates, 30,000 zinc tablets and 50,000 antibiotic tablets.
As part of a wider International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement response, the IFRC is providing 2 million Swiss francs worth of emergency health and hygiene support for 135,000 people living in the most vulnerable communities across the country.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
