Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: UN humanitarians reported a sharp outbreak of cholera cases in El Fasher, the capital of Darfur. “Deadly attacks and the outbreak of Cholera compounding the suffering of civilians,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “The violence continues to have a devastating impact on humanitarian response efforts.”
The International Organisation for Migration said that about 7,500 people fled the Abu Shouk displacement camp on the outskirts of El Fasher and parts of the town itself amid heightened insecurity. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned over the weekend that El Fasher is on the brink, with civilians living in famine conditions. He called for an end to the fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, stressing the need to protect civilians and to allow aid in, Xinhua news agency reported. Despite insecurity, a UN- and partners-backed cholera vaccination campaign was launched across western Darfur. The campaign seeks to vaccinate 1.9 million people. OCHA said there were more than 5,200 suspected cholera cases in South Darfur state and more than 250 deaths were reported since May.
According to the WHO, Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is a global public health threat and indicates inequality and a lack of social and economic development. Access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene is essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases. Most people with cholera have mild or moderate diarrhoea and can be treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS). However, the disease can progress rapidly, so starting treatment quickly is vital to save lives. Patients with severe disease need intravenous fluids, ORS and antibiotics.
