Tapiwa Gomo
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has stepped up its efforts on cholera control as it released USD 155,000 from its Disaster and Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to support Angola Red Cross society dealing with the crisis.
The International Federation had initially released USD 39,000 to support social mobilisation activities through its volunteers, especially in Luanda. Some 60 Red Cross Volunteers have been working in collaboration with provincial health authorities and other agencies in distributing more than 30,000 hygiene promotion fliers in Luanda, Benguela, Bengo and Kwanza Norte provinces.
The additional funding will help scaling up awareness and prevention activities to three more provinces (Benguela, Kwanza Norte and Bengo). The Angola Red Cross is exploring other options to provide the 8.000 affected families with non-food relief items such as chlorine, jerry cans and soap.
Angola Red Cross Society plans to strengthen cholera control and prevention capacity at Benguela, Bengo and Kwanza Norte provincial Red Cross branches, in order to scale up the awareness programme to reach a wider population.
Latest reports have shown that the acute severe diarrhoeal disease still continues to cause havoc in Angola with approximately 500 cases recorded in a day. Containing the outbreaks has proven to be a serious challenge as cholera is now spreading to areas outside of Luanda city.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the outbreak after being alerted of diarrhoea cases reported at provincial and local health centres, which were confirmed after epidemiological surveys of the existence of the vitro cholerae bacteria. As of 22 April 2006, 731 new cholera cases were reported in Luanda, Benguela, Bengo, Huambo, Kwanza Norte, Malange and Namibe provinces with overall case fatality rate of approximately 5%. Since the outbreak in early February this year, the Ministry of Health recorded a total of 17,181 cholera cases and 847 deaths have been reported at national level.
“The poor living conditions characterised by contaminated water sources, inadequate sanitation facilities, overcrowding and the onset of rainy season have been the major causes of the increase of cholera cases in Luanda municipality, Benguela, Bengo and Kwanza Norte provinces,” said Dr. Martin Acosta, the International Federation representative based in Angola.
Luanda city, which recorded the first case of cholera, is known for its appalling living conditions characterised by mud huts and corrugated iron structures perched on piles of rubbish. There is no supply of portable water and few households have latrines.
“In order to stop the spread of the disease and to treat patients, more resources are needed urgently. At present, there are inadequate health workers, ambulances to transport infected patients to cholera treatment centres, and trucking system to provide safe drinking water in the affected provinces,” added Acosta.
He also acknowledged that humanitarian agencies are experiencing customs clearance delays which affect the procurement and distribution of critically needed medical and non-food supplies. In addition, some affected people cannot access cholera treatment centres early enough due to lack of transport, security and accessibility.
It is reported that the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Belgium and Spain are carrying out treatment activities whilst the Angola Red Cross Society and other partners continue with their door-to-door awareness exercise to contain the outbreak, despite operating in a difficult environment.
The Red Cross volunteers are currently playing a crucial role in social mobilisation as they continue with house-to-house visits, following up with contacts, collection of specimen for bacteriology laboratory examination, distribution of clean drinking water and chlorine as well as dissemination of preventive measures through the national and local media and social mobilization groups. They have gained much experiences and credibility within the local communities with such reach out activities in previous cholera and Marburg fever outbreaks.
“Angola Red Cross will continue these activities for the next three months, given the concern of a possible spread of the disease,” announced Dr. Acosta.
The Ministry of Health established health centres in affected local municipalities and provided medical supplies to prevent and control the spread of cholera. Cholera treatment centres were established for case management in Luanda province (Boa Vista, Ingombota, Kilamba Kiaxi and Casenga municipality), with technical support from MSF Belgium and in Sambizanga municipality in Luanda province supported by MSF Spain. Red Cross volunteers are also distributing pamphlets in these centres as part of their community mobilisation exercise.
The Luanda Local Authority, in coordination with the Cholera Control Commission, is supplying approximately 180,000 to 220,000 litres of clean water on a daily basis to the general population in Luanda Municipalities, alongside water purification tablets and 20 litre jerry cans for the affected population. The current clean water supply is inadequate for the population of Luanda, which is approximately 4 million.
The International Federation regional delegation through the disaster response task force is now deploying additional support staff to collaborate and support Angola Red Cross Society efforts in implementing the response activities as the outbreak is spreading to other regions.