Cholera “causing havoc” in northern Cameroon

For many years now, cholera has been a common occurrence in the North and far North Regions of Cameroon and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says this year's outbreak, which started in August, is “causing havoc” in more than 20 areas.

The organisation says current government figures mention 2,019 patients, including 99 fatalities, with the locality of Mogodé, in the Far North Region, hardest hit. “Joint action between various humanitarian actors, including the Cameroon Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the Cameroon Ministry of Public Health, led to the implementation of several response activities,” a Red Cross release read in part.

The release stated that emergency funds of 370,416 Swiss francs were allocated from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to enable the local Red Cross to assist 36,424 cholera and flood victims in the affected regions; including deploying 438 Red Cross volunteers who are actively raising community awareness on good hygiene and sanitation practices.

“If volunteers are able to identify the signs of various epidemics and understand measures to limit their spread, they will effectively ensure early warnings of outbreaks, identify and isolate affected areas, and organize interventions within a satisfactory time frame,” the release quoted Dr Alain Roger Kouassi, member of the Regional Disaster Response Team, deployed to provide technical support to field teams.

Despite the efforts of the Red Cross and its partners to stamp out this epidemic, several localities in the Far North Region are still inaccessible due to the poor state of roads and continued insecurity. Consequently, Red Cross says it is likely that several cholera cases remain unidentified in villages along the border with Nigeria.

“The risk of spread of the epidemic is increasing and, to date, the population faces a major health challenge that could further deteriorate if the current insecurity persists,” the release concluded.