'They know I will come': How a unique initiative – powered by local women – improved community health and left a lasting legacy of trust in central Zimbabwe

Life after Ebola: The stories of survivors highlight the pain people have endured — and the work still to be done.

As Ebola in DRC declared over, IFRC calls for investment in community-based surveillance

Kinshasa/Nairobi/Geneva – 5 December 2025— Following the Ministry of Health’s declaration that the 16th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is officially over, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is calling for an urgent scale-up of community-based surveillance, stronger infection prevention and control, and long-term investment in local health systemsto prevent a resurgence.IFRC warns that the immediate post-outbreak period remains critical, particularly in communities already strained by cholera, mpox, and fragile health infrastructure. To reduce the risk of flare-ups, the DRC Red Cross, with support from IFRC and other National Societies, focuses on strengthening community-based surveillance to rapidly identify and report unusual illnesses or deaths.Ariel Kestens, IFRC Head of Country Cluster Delegation in Kinshasa, says:“Containing an Ebola outbreak is a critical milestone, but the real test begins now. Communities need continued support to detect health threats early. Investing in community-based surveillance, local health workers and stronger systems today is the best protection against potential outbreaks.”Communities remain central to stopping future flare-upsDRC Red Cross volunteers were instrumental in containing the outbreak and will remain at the forefront during the post-outbreak phase. Their ongoing work includes early detection, close coordination with local leaders, hygiene promotion, and countering misinformation, a community-driven approach especially vital in remote areas with limited formal health services.Gregoire Mateso, National President of the DRC Red Cross, says:“Frontline communities and Red Cross volunteers have once again demonstrated what early action can achieve. However, the cycle of epidemics will continue if there is no long-term investment. It is time to stop retreating and instead strengthen our preparedness based on the lessons learned.”During the outbreak, the DRC Red Cross conducted 118 safe and dignified burials and deployed more than 500 volunteers trained in epidemic control. Risk communication and community engagement activities reached over 236,000 people, and hygiene promotion and decontamination support benefited more than 78,000 people. The Red Cross also provided psychosocial support to 2,500 people, while national vaccination efforts immunized more than 47,500 individuals, demonstrating the crucial impact of local action in protecting communities.Need for stronger preparednessDespite swift containment, the outbreak exposed weaknesses in local health systems, including limited isolation capacity, shortages of protective equipment, and gaps in infection prevention and control. Concurrent cholera and mpox outbreaks further strained resources, while vulnerable groups, especially women, children, and displaced families, faced heightened risks.These gaps underline the urgency of long-term resilience and stronger community-based preparedness. The IFRC is calling on partners and donors to join efforts in scaling up community-based surveillance, strengthen infection prevention and control, reinforce water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, support and train local volunteers, the first responders in remote areas, and expand psychosocial and protection services.More informationTo request an interview, contact: [email protected] Kinshasa:Jean-Michel Ntalemwa: +243 999 842 933In Nairobi:Susan Mbalu: +254 733 827 654In Geneva:Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67Scott Craig: +41 76 370 35 75

Delivering vaccines under fire: Palestine Red Crescent teams risk their lives to protect children’s health in Gaza

Editor’s note: This article was written prior to the latest ceasefire coming into effect on 10 October, which IFRC welcomes and hopes will lead to lasting peace.We call for a massive scaling up of aid and international support for Gaza to alleviate the catastrophic conditions people have endured for the past two years. --It’s April 2023 in the Gaza Strip. Parents are forming an orderly queue outside their neighbourhood health clinic, waiting to get their babies their life-saving immunizations. Demand is high, but the system is running smoothly and vaccines are readily available. The jabs prompt tears here and there, but parents calmly comfort their children and get their records stamped—heading home knowing that their little ones have been gifted the hope of a healthier future.Fast forward two years and the picture could not be more different.It’s April 2025 in the Gaza Strip. The neighbourhood health clinic has been destroyed. Families have been forced to flee multiple times due to the ongoing hostilities. Parents are exhausted and weak from malnutrition, giving the precious little food they can get hold of to their children. They desperately want to get them vaccinated, but the journey to the nearest functioning clinic is fraught with danger. Mothers and fathers find themselves asking: do we risk diseases today, or bombs? They try their best to soothe their children’s tears, but they are constant now.It's in this stark new reality that Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) medical teams and volunteers have been striving to keep their communities healthy and safe.Since April 2025, they’ve been working against all odds to set up and run routine immunization services aiming to protect some of the hardest-to-reach children in Gaza from entirely preventable diseases such as polio, measles and rubella. This work is carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Health, with support from IFRC, and with financial support from Gavi, which isproviding vaccines procured through UNICEF and contributing to operational costs.Here’s what two Palestine Red Crescent doctors involved in the project have to say.My name is Dr Bashar Murad, Director of the Primary Health Care Department. I’m originally from northern Gaza, but I’m now living with my family in Khan Younis. We’ve been displaced eight times since the start of the conflict.I’ve worked for the Palestine Red Crescent since 2000, and I’m currently running our immunization programme in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Gavi and UNICEF.Since the start of the conflict, around 80% of health clinics in Gaza have been forced to close—either due to evacuation orders or because they’ve been damaged. Our mission is to continue childhood immunization and keep protecting children from preventable diseases, even as our health system collapses around us.Currently, Palestine Red Crescent is offering childhood vaccination through five of our 15 medical clinics which are still managing to operate even under incredibly difficult circumstances.Families here face immense challenges accessing health services. Clinics are closing. People are displaced. There’s the constant threat of bombs, sometimes we are forced to evacuate at short notice, and regular power outages severely hinder our work. There’s a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies, especially for chronic diseases. And with fuel supplies scarce, it can be difficult to transport the limited medical supplies we do have to where they are needed.Recently, famine was officially declared in Gaza—something we had already seen firsthand for some time, with more and more people coming to us severely malnourished. Young children, new and expectant mothers and the elderly are the hardest hit. What is especially cruel is that when children are malnourished, it makes the vaccines less effective.Despite the massive destruction, we must go on. Our staff and volunteers are putting themselves on the line every day to provide health services. We really feel our communities’ appreciation. We are still able to run some of our health facilities, but for how long?We’ve already lost so much: lives, hospitals, schools. We constantly fear for people’s safety. My message is simply this: end the conflict.Dr Bashar Murad, Palestine Red Crescent SocietyMy name is Dr Rami Abu Hamad and I’m from northern Gaza.I began working for the Palestine Red Crescent in 2016. I was working at Al-Quds Hospital until the early weeks of the conflict, then moved to the field hospital in Rafah until the city was evacuated. Since July 2024, I’ve been working at the Dr. Fathi Arafat Medical Centre in Deir al-BalahMy family and I have been forced to flee three times during the conflict. We now live together in a small apartment here in Deir al-Balah. My three children (16, 14, 12) used to be star pupils, but their education has ground to a halt these past two years, which brings me so much pain.We vaccinate around 60-70 children every day at our centre, and we also have outreach teams which head out into camps to reach families who can’t come to us. Access here is incredibly challenging due to the security situation: it’s so difficult to travel anywhere. Many of the children we are trying to help can’t get vaccines because their parents are either injured or killed.The health and living conditions of children in Gaza is extremely poor. A combination of malnutrition, a lack of safe drinking water and poor hygiene has led to outbreaks of skin, digestive and respiratory diseases. Parents here really want to get their children vaccinated, but there are so many competing priorities. Right now, food is the most important thing amid famine and food shortages.I keep going out of pure humanitarian commitment to my community. Despite the extremely difficult and dangerous conditions, I keep serving our people.Dr Rami Abu Hamad, Palestine Red Crescent SocietyIn the midst of conflict, displacement and uncertainty, 60 Palestine Red Crescent Society volunteers are walking from one displacement shelter to another, speaking with families about the importance of childhood vaccination. With empathy and determination, they guide parents on where and how to get their children vaccinated through nearby PRCS health facilities and medical points. Along the way, they identify ‘zero-dose’ children (kids who haven’t received a single vaccine dose), helping ensure that even in the hardest-hit areas, no child is left behind.Gaza used to have extremely high vaccination coverage, but the conflict risks leaving this in tatters. Palestine Red Crescent medical teams are working tirelessly alongside partners to maintain vaccination coverage as best they can and protect children from entirely preventable diseases. As of August 2025, they've vaccinated 20,468 children in Gaza with at least one vaccinedose.To protect these children’s lives, medical staff, like Dr Bashar and Dr Rami, and volunteers are risking their own. Just a few months ago, Palestine Red Crescent nurse, Haitham Abu Issa, who was immunizing children at their Deir al-Balah clinic was tragically killed while off duty. Haitham is one of 51 Palestine Red Crescent staff and volunteers whose lives have been cruelly claimed since the start of the conflict.Every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy and safe. And every humanitarian should be protected and able to carry out their life-saving work without fear. But in Gaza, these basic rights are under siege.For parents and medical staff alike, vaccinating children used to be a part of normal life. Now, it has become an act of courage.We welcome the ceasefire agreed and hope it leads to lasting peace. And we commend the efforts of the Palestine Red Crescent Society to make sure that no child in Gaza is left vulnerable to diseases—because for every child vaccinated, there is hope for life beyond the conflict.

Reaching the unreached: Mali Red Cross teams go the last mile to ensure children get life-saving vaccines

Immunization is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against infectious diseases. Every year, vaccines save millions of lives and help to slow and stop diseases from spreading.But in Mali, West Africa, fewer than half of the country’s children have received all the essential childhood vaccines they need to live long and healthy lives—putting them at risk of deadly yet entirely preventable diseases such as diphtheria, measles, and tetanus.No child should be left vulnerable to disease simply because of where they live. So, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and IFRC, the Mali Red Cross has been working tirelessly over the past year to help close the vaccination gap—with a particular focus on helping the hardest-to-reach children who may otherwise slip through the net.Why do so many children in Mali miss out on vaccines?Parents in Mali face many different barriers to getting their children fully vaccinated.The first is simply a lack of healthcare access. Many remote communities—particularly those in Mali’s northern desert regions—live days away from their nearest health centre, making it difficult and costly to attend vaccination sessions.Since 2012, ongoing armed conflict across the country has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. For families on the move, keeping up with their children’s vaccination schedule can be challenging amid the upheaval—not to mention health clinics and workers can be forced to stop operating due to the fighting. On top of this, devastating flooding swept across Mali in late 2024—displacing even more communities and putting further strain on the country’s health system.And even when families in Mali do have access to health services, misinformation and harmful rumours about vaccines—for instance, that they cause sickness or sterility—can discourage parents from bringing their children forward for their jabs.What are Mali Red Cross volunteers doing to help?Mali Red Cross volunteers are well-placed to support immunization efforts because they are local, known and trusted by the communities they support.While they don’t administer vaccines themselves, volunteers act as an important bridge between communities and local health services. Every day, they go door-to-door in far-flung villages to speak to parents about their children’s vaccination status, recording data on those who have never received a jab (‘zero dose’) or whose who are falling behind (‘under-vaccinated’). This data gives local health authorities vital insight into where gaps remain.Volunteers then encourage parents to take their kids for their routine immunizations, providing trusted information on the benefits and informing people where, when and how to get them.“It’s not that communities don’t want their children to be safe and healthy. But often there is misinformation swirling and it takes the right person reaching them with the right knowledge at the right time”, explains Dr Sidi Touré, IFRC Programme Manager for the vaccination support project with Gavi.“We make sure Mali Red Cross volunteers are equipped with accurate health information to share with their communities. They very patiently and sensitively explain to families, in their local language, how vaccines have stopped other children from getting sick and how it can protect their children, too.”Household visits are complemented by regular community events and interactive radio shows, during which parents can call in with their questions for health experts and volunteers.And in some districts, where communities are particularly hesitant towards vaccines, volunteers work with local theatre troupes to stage entertaining performances which explain how vaccines work and allay people’s fears in a fun and engaging way.Taking vaccines to the peopleWhen volunteers identify a large cluster of zero dose or under-vaccinated children in a remote area, Mali Red Cross coordinates with the nearest health centre to take vaccines directly to families in two main ways:Outreach sites: typically for communities within 5-10km of a health facility, volunteers accompany and help transport health workers with vaccine carriers to run vaccination sessions—often tied to community events or market days to reach as many people as possible.Mobile clinics: for remote, hard-to-reach areas or displaced and nomadic populations, mobile teams travel out to set up temporary vaccination points. These missions require careful planning to navigate tough terrain, ensure security, and maintain the cold chain so vaccines stay effective.In both cases, the role of Mali Red Cross volunteers is crucial. Their community engagement efforts raise awareness about when and where the sessions will take place and generate demand for the vaccines. This means that when health workers arrive with the jabs, families are ready and eager to vaccinate their children.“Previously, many families did not understand the importance of vaccination. But thanks to the explanations and regular visits of Mali Red Cross volunteers, almost everyone in our village now supports it. Today, women regularly bring their children to get vaccinated whenever the vaccination officer visits the village,” says Issa Souleymane, Head of Goundjougoufouga village in Sikasso region.Closing the vaccine gapIn the past year, Mali Red Cross volunteers have identified more than 30,000 zero-dose and more than 17,000 under-vaccinated children, supporting the vast majority to be vaccinated by local health workers.These figures may seem modest, but they represent some of the highest-risk children who would otherwise have remained invisible to, and unreached by, local health authorities—leaving them vulnerable to entirely preventable diseases. Reaching these last-mile communities also helps prevent outbreaks and protects the wider population.“The arrival of the Red Cross to support routine vaccinations has been truly beneficial. Firstly, the district knows which children are under-vaccinated or unvaccinated. Through volunteers’ activities, vaccination indicators have improved with their support to outreach sites and mobile teams. The project contributed to us exceeding our Penta3 coverage targets in 2024, leading to a drastic reduction in the number of under-vaccinated children in the district,” explains Dr Daou Dassoun, Head of Sagabari Health District in Mali’s southern Sikasso region.Building local, long-term immunization capacitySupport from IFRC and Gavi is helping Mali Red Cross and local health authorities in Mali to improve their immunization services in the long term.With more comprehensive data, improved coordination, and more effective planning of immunization activities and strategies, they’re able to better serve hard-to-reach populations and make sure no child is left behind.“Through this project with IFRC and Gavi, Mali Red Cross has been able to significantly improve our capacity in vaccination support, for example through the recruitment and training of more than 400 community volunteers. Our teams are now closely coordinating with the Ministry of Health on vaccination activities at all levels and are embedded in local health structures,” explains Dr Wiri Souara, Head of Health Department at Mali Red Cross.Even after the vaccine support project ends, Mali Red Cross volunteers will remain by their communities’ side—encouraging parents, supporting local health services, and making sure children continue to get the vaccines they need.Because every child, no matter where they live, deserves the chance to grow up healthy and safe.-------------------------------------------------The activities featured in this article were made possible thanks to IFRC’s partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.Together, we are working with Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in five countries to ensure that children—particularly zero-dose and under-vaccinated children—receive the vaccines they need to live long and healthy lives safe from preventable diseases.

Ebola in DRC: A race against time to save lives

World Humanitarian Day: ‘If I can help my mother, I can help my community too’

“It was early 2011. Something strange started happening to our neighbours—they said they were ill and wounds started appearing on their skin.”A nurse from Karangmojo village in Boyolali, Indonesia, Siti Imroatus begins the story that would change her life, and the lives of many in her community. It happened nearly 15 years ago, when a mysterious series of events began to befall her small community rural community.“We knew it was something to do with their cows, which they’d recently slaughtered to eat and sell”.It was this experience, the effect it had on her own family, and the process of solving this mystery that Siti (known to friends and family as “Bu Im”) to join the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia). It was also the beginning of a determined, long-time commitment from Bu Im to keep working to ensure this kind of outbreak wouldn’t happen again.On World Humanitarian Day2025 (19 August), we unite with humanitarians around the world under the banner #ActforHumanity to honour the courage of people like Siti, whotake the initiativeto protect others and save lives — even while they themselves are affected by the same challenges.This is Siti’sstoryin her own words.“Local health authorities came to investigate and it turned out to beanthrax, an infectious disease spread through animals which is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis.“My mother fell sick, too, because she had handled a piece of meat that was apparently infected. She then had wounds on her hands and I immediately took her to the nearest hospital so she could be treated.“I knew I had to act quickly and because when she was treated quickly, she healed faster. I was living elsewhere at the time, but I stayed with my mother and took care of her until she got completely better.“I thought, if I can help my mother, I can help my community too. I wanted to motivate people and give them advice on how to stay healthy so we can avoid another outbreak—of anthrax or of any other disease. So that’s why I became a Red Cross volunteer.“In 2018 I joined the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme, which we call ‘CP3’. It’s a programme that helps communities like mine in Indonesia to be prepared for and to prevent disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics.“When I joined, I was trained inepidemic control andcommunity-based surveillance so I could advise my community on different infectious diseases and report anything unusual.“Communities may not be very well-informed about anthrax. But it is a serious disease which can infect animals and humans, and old people in my community are especially vulnerable.“The other year there was an anthrax outbreak in Yogyakarta and several people died. So I keep educating my village with my fellow volunteers because I want my family to be healthy and I want my community to be healthy.“The best thing about being a volunteer is being useful to my family and the community. I know that if I can detect and report diseases quickly, we will all be safer.”---The activities featured in this article were delivered as part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) which ran from 2018-2025. Funded by theU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.To learn more about anthrax and other infectious diseases,visit the IFRC’s Epidemic Control Toolkit.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.  For World Humanitarian Day 2025, learn how you can support those who #ActforHumanity.World Humanitarian Day 2025: An urgent call to honor, respect and protect those who #ActforHumanityStand with us to protect humanityHonor the fallen: visit the IFRC In Memoriam pageSupport the Red Family FundMake a donation to the Red Family Fund

Cholera in Côte d'Ivoire: At a bustling waterside hub, Red Cross takes on cholera

When seven people died within just a few days in Vridi Ako in Côte d'Ivoire in May 2025, no one suspected cholera.Many believed the deaths were the result of a curse or fetishistic practices, beliefs that are still deeply rooted in this coastal village in the municipality of Port-Bouet, which sits on a strip land between the Ebrié Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.“We didn't understand,” says N'Sranna Sagou Hervé, the village chief. "Many of us thought it was spiritual."However, one disturbing detail linked all the deaths: They had suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. These symptoms were alarming enough for the health authorities to launch an investigation. Laboratory tests confirmed what few people had imagined: cholera, a waterborne disease that had not been seen in Côte d'Ivoire for 15 years, was back.And it came back across many parts of the country.As of 3 August, 491 cholera cases and 20 deaths were reported across Cote d’Ivoire. Vridi Ako alone accounted for 198 cases and 7 deaths. The outbreak has since spread to other areas, including Yopougon Est, Sa Sandra (San Pedro) and Jacqueville.In Vridi Ako, most of the inhabitants live in makeshift dwellings, with very limited access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation. It is also a cosmopolitan village of more than 19,000 people who come from across West Africa, including Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Senegal. These are all conditions ripe for the rapid spread of disease across a wider region.A rapid and coordinated responseThe Côte d'Ivoire Red Cross, supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and other Movement partners, was among the first to respond. Working closely with the Ministry of Health, WHO, and UNICEF, the Red Cross launched a rapid and multisectoral emergency operation aimed at containing the outbreak.Key actions included mobilizing and training over 125 volunteers, raising awareness in communities, disinfecting high-risk areas, installing handwashing stations, identifying suspected cases, and referring them to health centres for treatment.Community engagement is at the heart of the response. Red Cross Volunteers go door to door, speaking in local languages, explaining what cholera is and how it spreads, and most importantly, how to prevent it.“At first, it wasn’t easy. People were afraid,” says Aichatou Souley, one of the trained volunteers. “They had heard of cholera, but didn’t know how to protect themselves. We had to offer more than information—we had to build trust.”In Vridi Ako, handwashing stations have been installed in key public areas, including the bustling quay where boats ferry hundreds of passengers across the Ebrié Lagoon each day. The risk of contamination is high, but so is the level of vigilance.Each day, Konan Coulibaly and a team of volunteers make sure every passenger washes their hands before boarding or disembarking. Just a few metres away, Amadou Tembaly, another volunteer methodically disinfects the boats with a chlorine solution.“It may seem like a simple task, but it makes a real difference,” Amadou says. “Every boat or motorcycle taxi we clean is one less opportunity for the disease to spread.”Kouadio Amoin, a nurse at the Vridi Ako health centre, underscores the importance of this community-based action. “Without the Red Cross’s rapid intervention, we would have seen many more cases. Their presence truly made a difference.”To support the response, the IFRC allocated 159,915 Swiss francs from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF). As the outbreak continues to spread to new areas, the IFRC is now working to triple this amount to help the Red Cross of Côte d’Ivoire scale up its response and address growing needs.Learn moreUnderstanding cholera and the IFRC approach to prevention and containmentHow the IFRC works to prevent epidemics and pandemics

Guinea: Community comes together to reduce disease and disaster risks

For as long as they can remember, the people of Dalafilani—a small, rural village of 2,000 people in central Guinea—have faced a recurring and significant problem: flooding.Every time heavy rains came, water coursed through the village, damaging homes and leaving large pools of polluted, stagnant water—the perfect breeding ground for waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases.Not only did the floods jeopardise people’s homes and health, they also caused economic pressures. Villagers used to have to frequently buy medicine to treat relatives who fell sick from flood-related diseases, diverting precious income from other daily needs.So when local Guinean Red Cross volunteers rallied the community together to discuss potential solutions, the community decided it would do whatever it takes to keep the floods—and diseases—at bay.A community diagnosis at the heart of changeThrough the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), trained Guinean Red Cross volunteers led the community through a participatory risk assessment to understand the problem, discuss the community’s needs and resources, and come up with a workable solution.“As members of this community, we worked together to identify the priority problems. During a community diagnosis, the residents recognized that flooding and wastewater were a major source of disease, and that their environment had a direct impact on their health, safety and livelihoods,” explains Guinean Red Cross volunteer, Sekou Oularé.“Together, we came up with the idea of constructing a system of canals through the village to evacuate flood and wastewater. The Red Cross facilitated this process, providing tools and logistical support,” he adds.Taking collective actionWith a plan of action agreed, villagers in Dalafilani quickly got to work turning their idea into reality.“We decided to mobilize the whole community. Men and women worked hand in hand to build the canals. We made bricks, dug trenches and transported materials. This work has enabled us to create a functional drainage system that carries rainwater and domestic wastewater away from our village,” explains Fanta Bö Kourouma, president of the Dalafilani youth group.Guinean Red Cross volunteers were on hand throughout the process—helping to build the canals, map out where they should run to most effectively carry water away from the village, and procure the necessary materials.A healthier, safer community in the long-termFollowing the construction of the canals, it didn’t take long for the community to see a positive change. The village is cleaner, there are no more pools of stagnant water following the rains, and families are relieved to see their children in better health.“Before, we had problems with illness, especially among children. They used to play in the dirty water and it made them sick. It was a heavy burden on our finances because of the cost of medicines. Today, thanks to the drainage system, there are fewer mosquitoes and fewer children are getting sick,” says Gbè Traoré, a resident of Dalafilani.Local health authorities have also reported a decrease in diseases, with head of the Dalafilani health post, Bernard Camara, recording significantly fewer medical consultations relating to malaria and water-borne diseases.Guinea Red Cross volunteers continue to support people in Dalafilani, conducting regular community meetings to raise awareness of epidemic risks and reinforce cleanliness efforts.Dalafilani village chief, Fodé Oularé, is relieved to see improvements to his community’s health, and understands they need to keep working together to keep disease risks at bay in the long-term.“Before, rainwater was running off in all directions, creating puddles of stagnant water. Now, with the system we've built, the water is drained away and we have a cleaner environment. The Red Cross has been working with us to raise awareness and maintain this progress, but it's up to us, the residents, to keep things clean to prevent disease,” he explains.--The activities featured in this article were delivered as part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) which ran from 2018-2025. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats. If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.    

The Gambia: As malaria season begins, a life-saving infusion of medicine

By Moustapha DialloOn a hot and humid Thursday afternoon, the courtyard of The Gambia’s Central Medical Store swarms with people. Despite the oppressive heat, dozens of people gather under a large tent.From time to time, clouds appear before dissipating, while the small puddles left by a light rainfall the day before remind everyone of the onset of the rainy season, a period known to bring a surge in malaria cases.Against this backdrop, the Gambian Red Cross Society (GRCS) officially handed over a vital consignment of anti-malarial medications to the Ministry of Health in support of the upcoming Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign.This life-saving donation is part of the “Accelerating Malaria Elimination in The Gambia” project, funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).“This delivery comes at the right time,” said Lamine Dampha, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health during the handover ceremony. “The rainy season, commonly referred to as ‘malaria season’, has just begun. These medications will allow us to protect tens of thousands of people, especially children under five, who continue to bear the highest burden of malaria, across the country”.Speaking at the handover ceremony, Charles Businge, the IFRC’s regional director for Africa emphasized that these medications come at a crucial time when global funding for malaria is declining.In this context, Ibou Fye Njie, secretary general of the GRCS, says these medicines take on even greater significance.“Delivery of these medicines marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to achieve a malaria-free Gambia, while emphasizing that the project will finance the operational costs for the implementation of four SMC cycles during the 2025 malaria season in Kombo North District,” he said.Supporting a nationwide mosquito nets distribution campaignValued at over USD 108,000 (excluding transport costs estimated at USD 35,000), the medications handover follows a large-scale mosquito net distribution campaign, conducted in partnership with the Senegalese authorities as part of a coordinated cross-border malaria control effort.More than 1.5 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets were distributed free of charge to households across The Gambia.Supporting this nationwide effort, 280 Red Cross volunteers were mobilized across all regions to raise awareness about malaria prevention. They went door-to-door educating families about the proper use of mosquito nets, provided information on where to collect them, and assisted Ministry of Health staff with registering beneficiaries.“I’m very grateful to have received a mosquito net,” said a mother of three from the Central River Region. “This year, I know my children and I will be protected from malaria.”Malaria: a major public health threatMalaria is one of the top ten causes of death in The Gambia, with the entire population of the country at risk of the disease. It also remains a leading cause of childhood mortality and morbidity in The Gambia, where under-five mortality rate remains high at 56 per 1,000 live births.Despite significant progress in recent years, global malaria funding is insufficient to sustain essential services for a growing population and addressing biological and non-biological threats.Speaking on behalf of His Excellency Liu Jin, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to The Gambia, Mr. Zhan Tong, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, reaffirmed China’s commitment:“We are confident that, with the strong support of the Chinese government and the international community, we will see tangible progress very soon,” he said.The “Accelerating Malaria Elimination in The Gambia” project, launched in September 2024, will run through September 2026, with a total budget of USD 1,978,879.

Early detection and action stop a measles outbreak in Cameroon

“I was coughing. My eyes were red, and my nose was running. My skin had rashes.”7-year-old Djoubeda from Mayo-Oulo village in Cameroon’s North region was at home with her grandmother when she started showing worrying symptoms of measles.A highly contagious viral infection, measles spreads easily among the unvaccinated—with young children at highest risk. It’s a serious illness that can require hospital admission, cause permanent disability, and even kill if not treated properly. But thankfully help wasn’t far away. Local Cameroon Red Cross Society volunteer, Ramatou—affectionately known as Aunty Ramatou in the village—was called to come see little Djoubeda straight away.Ramatou had previously received training in how to recognize and prevent disease outbreaks, and how to quickly report any unusual health events to authorities, through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).“I received training on detecting diseases in the population. When I visited Djoubeda, I deduced her symptoms resembled measles and that inaction could spread it,” she explains.Without hesitation, Ramatou notified local health authorities of the suspected measles case using a digital community-based surveillance tool set up through the CP3 programme, then took Djoubeda straight to the nearest health centre.Within three days, tests confirmed that Djoubeda did indeed have measles. During that time, Ramatou and fellow CP3 volunteers got to work educating the community in Mayo-Oulo about measles signs and symptoms, how to prevent it from spreading, and how to report if they noticed something was wrong.Upon confirmation of measles, local health authorities immediately launched a mass vaccination campaign in and around the village—calling upon Cameroon Red Cross volunteers for their support in sharing trusted health information about the vaccines and encouraging families to bring their children along to be immunized.“It’s you, the Red Cross, going around to sensitize us. It’s because of people going around the village talking about vaccination that I brought him,” explains Maya Sylvie, a mother from Mayo-Oulo village who was supported by the Cameroon Red Cross to vaccinate her baby boy.To achieve herd immunity against measles and prevent recurring outbreaks, at least 95% of the population must be fully vaccinated. This vaccination campaign was therefore a huge joint effort between local health authorities and Cameroon Red Cross volunteers, who mobilized as many community members as possible to bring their children for their jabs. Thankfully, since this outbreak, local health authorities haven’t recorded any further measles cases.“We vaccinated nearly 500 children. What if this epidemic had not been stopped? Measles is deadly. We could have recorded a lot of deaths. After the Ministry vaccinated all the children, we have not had any more cases of measles,” explains Dr Laboulaye, Head of the Mayo-Oulo Health Centre.“I want to say to the Red Cross: thank you. Thank you for your support, for all your disease prevention activities and help with the response,” she adds.For Ramatou, learning the skills to quickly detect and report outbreaks in Mayo-Oulo was exactly why she wanted to volunteer in the first place:“I’ve lived here for over 30 years, since I was 6 years old. I became a CP3 volunteer to help my community. As a volunteer, my motivation is to save lives, ease pain, help the sick, and prevent diseases from spreading. What pleases me is that people listen, volunteers work well, the past diseases are gone and the community values and appreciates our efforts.”And as for little Djoubeda, she happily made a full recovery from measles and is grateful to Ramatou for being there for her when she was sick.“I was injected and given medicine. I got better and went back home. Aunty Ramatou, who wears the uniform, does her job well,” she says.---The activities featured in this article were delivered as part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) which ran from 2018-2025. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats. If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.    

Stronger, faster, safer: epidemic preparedness success stories from the Programmatic Partnership

Since 2022, 24 local Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world have been working to keep communities healthy and safe from epidemics and pandemics.They’ve done so through something called the Programmatic Partnership—an innovative, multi-year partnership funded by the European Union and with technical assistance, advocacy support and coordination from IFRC and European National Societies.Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are best placed to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks and other health risks thanks to their unique auxiliary role to authorities and because their volunteers are close to communities, trusted by them, and can act quickly.Through the Programmatic Partnership, these 24 National Societies have equipped countless communities with knowledge and tools to stop the spread of diseases.They’ve trained volunteers and set up systems so communities can report outbreaks quickly, enabling a rapid response from local authorities.And they’ve worked hard to develop their own epidemic preparedness capacity, so they can respond more quickly and effectively when a health emergency strikes.Seven stories of hope and humanityIn this new brochure, you can read seven inspiring stories of National Societies’ epidemic preparedness work in action:In Cameroon, trained Cameroon Red Cross Society volunteers quickly detected and responded to a cholera outbreak—halting the spread of disease and minimizing the damage on the community.In Bangladesh, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society volunteers rapidly detected and reported an outbreak of foot and mouth disease to local authorities so quick action could be taken to protect people’s livelihoods.In Burkina Faso, Burkinabe Red Cross volunteers worked tirelessly to find children who had missed out on routine immunization due to conflict and internal displacement, making sure they got the vaccinations they need to be protected from disease.In Yemen, Yemen Red Crescent Society teams have provided communities with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and trusted health information so they can keep themselves safe from disease threats.In Somalia, trained Somali Red Crescent Society volunteers quickly detected and responded to a dengue fever outbreak in a rural community, saving lives and helping curb the outbreak.In Central America, Red Cross Societies have set up and trained community health committees who are now taking local action to reduce the risks of disease outbreaks.In Chad, the Chad Red Cross has been using an innovative radio tool to broadcast trusted, lifesaving health information over the airwaves to isolated communities so they know how to stay safe from disease threats.Read the new brochure “Epidemic preparedness and response success stories from the Programmatic Partnership” to learn more.--The activities outlined above were made possible thanks to theProgrammatic Partnership with the European Union—an innovative, multi-year partnership between the IFRC, member National Societies and the EU to help communities worldwide reduce their risks and be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies.

Tanzania: Red Cross helps contain deadly Marburg outbreak while preparing communities for future epidemics

When the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak hit parts of Tanzania in early 2025, the Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS) sprang into action, leveraging years of epidemic preparedness and support from the IFRC to contain the deadly virus.From emergency response to long-term recovery, the Red Cross volunteers have been working alongside the Ministry of Health to protect the most vulnerable, restore trust, and build a future where communities are better prepared to face health crises.Often fatal, Marburg virus disease is a severe illness similar to Ebola that is characterized by high fever, headaches, and in many cases, internal bleeding.Thanks to the rapid mobilization, the total number of cases was relatively low (a total of 10 cases as of 4th March 2025). However, the fatality rate was 100 per cent – underscoring the urgent nature of a concerted, community wide response.That rapid action was also enabled by a 280,00 Swiss franc allocation from IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund.From training to swift actionAs a first step in its emergency response, TRCS trained 50 community health workers and volunteers in high-risk districts, equipping them epidemic control skills to detect and respond to potential cases.These teams were mobilized across communities, conducting door-to-door visits to identify suspected infections, provide health education, and dispel dangerous myths about the disease.“Our volunteers were the first line of defense,” said a staff member from TRCS. “They not only alerted health authorities to possible cases but also ensured families understood how to protect themselves.”The teams also offered mental health and psychosocial support to those affected, including people in quarantine. Recognizing that outbreaks do not affect everyone equally, TRCS also trained staff and volunteers on protection, gender, and inclusion methods to ensure all parts of the community were fully represented.Volunteers learned to prioritize dignity, access, and safety for all — especially women, children, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.Battling misinformation with trust and dialogueRumors and misinformation spread as quickly as the virus itself. To counter this, TRCS engaged community leaders, traditional healers, and even schoolchildren in open dialogues. Through meetings, home visits, and public discussions, volunteers addressed rumors and misconceptions about both Marburg Virus and Mpox.“At first, people thought Marburg was a curse,” said one volunteer. “But by listening to their fears and explaining the facts, we built trust—and that saved lives.”Recovery and preventionWith the Ministry of Health declaring the end of the outbreak in March 2025, TRCS shifted focus to recovery. Over 100 new volunteers were trained in Ngara and Muleba districts to reinforce disease prevention, mental health support, and community engagement.In collaboration with its multiple partners, meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has developed a three-month recovery plan.As part of that plan, TRCS continued to deliver epidemic disease awareness in the affected areas, with volunteers and community health workers going house-to-house to educate people about disease prevention, reduce stigmas, and address fears among community members regarding the safety of the health facilities after the recent outbreak.In all, more than 1.5 million people were reached with critical health messages.As Tanzania recovers, the Red Cross remains vigilant—because in the fight against epidemics, preparation today means lives saved tomorrow.A lessons-learned workshop is on the horizon, aiming to strengthen future responses and ensure that past challenges are transformed into opportunities for improvement.Learn more:IFRC’s approach to epidemic and pandemic preparednessIFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund

IFRC and Takeda initiate ‘United Against Dengue’ alliance to combat escalating threat of dengue

Dengue fever, a rapidly escalating public health crisis, casts a long shadow over millions in Asia. With climate change and urbanization fuelling its spread, the figures are stark: with Asia shouldering approximately 70 percent of the global disease burden.In response to this urgent challenge, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC APAC) and Takeda have joined forces in a landmark collaboration: United Against Dengue.This multi-year strategic collaboration is dedicated to advancing the World Health Organizations’s goal of achieving zero preventable dengue deaths by 2030, by championing collective action through community programs."Eliminating dengue in the Asia-Pacific region requires a collective effort," states Dr. Sushma Bhusal, Regional Thematic Lead, Health and Care, Asia Pacific, IFRC. "The response must go beyond the health sector alone."A synergistic approach to a complex problemUnited Against Dengue is designed to catalyze community-led action, empowering individuals and families to protect themselves. This partnership leverages the unique strengths of both organizations."We were drawn to partner with Takeda because of their commitment to global health and their expertise in the scientific and healthcare sector," Dr. Bhusal explains."This partnership allows us to combine IFRC's strong volunteer networks and exceptional community-based expertise with Takeda's scientific expertise, resources, and global network to elevate dengue awareness, advocate for enhanced disease prevention measures, and protect at-risk populations more effectively."Dion Warren, Area Head, India and Southeast Asia, Takeda, underscores the critical nature of the threat and the importance of a synergistic approach to fighting dengue."Factors like climate change and urbanization are fuelling the spread of dengue, which poses a significant public health threat, potentially affecting millions across Asia," he notes."Joining forces with IFRC, we aim to strengthen the foundation of community resilience by advancing disease literacy, enhancing early action capabilities, and empowering local health systems.“United Against Dengueis designed to strengthen and complement existing public and community efforts to combat dengue collectively and ensure that communities are better equipped to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to dengue outbreaks.This collaboration is a call to action, underlining the urgent need for a unified, multi-sectoral action."Three pillars for comprehensive actionThe United Against Dengue collaboration is structured around three strategic pillars, ensuring a holistic approach:The first pillar is Educate, which focuses on building community resilience and readiness through impactful disease education and early preparedness. Efforts include community awareness campaigns, volunteer training using the Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV) toolkit, and hygiene promotion through community engagement. Enhanced surveillance systems and early action protocols will also be introduced to guide community responses and improve outcomes.A cornerstone of the Educate pillar is leveraging relatable content to drive community action. Kicking off the United Against Dengueinitiatives is the launch of a themed comic developed by popular cartoonists The Woke Salaryman.The comic is focused on discussing the importance of collaborative efforts between communities to prevent the spread of dengue. It will be translated into different languages and will be shared through IFRC APAC channels for community education and leveraged for community engagement activities in the long run."Relatable educational content is absolutely essential," Dr. Bhusal emphasizes. "Dengue prevention requires a change in behaviour, and that change is far more likely to occur when people understand the risks in a way that connects with their daily lives."Mr. Warren adds, "Leveraging their unique brand of storytelling, the series brings to light the impact of urbanization on community ties in Asia and beyond. The series not only raises awareness about dengue but also underscores the critical role of community collaboration in disease prevention efforts."The second pillar, Advocate,is centered around ensuring the sustainability of preventative measures through policy work and stakeholder engagement. This includes working closely with policymakers, medical societies, and community organizations to support the integration of dengue prevention, management and control into national strategies.Regional and national alignment across public health stakeholders is also prioritized to drive unified action and strengthen health system resilience for long-term impact.The third pillar, Support, focuses on providing care and assistance to communities and individuals affected by dengue.These efforts represent the initial focus of United Against Dengue and are not exhaustive. Additional efforts will be introduced as the initiative continues to respond to evolving community needs and opportunities for greater impact.A unified front for a healthier futureThe escalating global spread of dengue demands a robust, coordinated response. "As the global spread of dengue intensifies, it is evident that a coordinated and strategic approach is essential," says Dr. Bhusal. "By working together – as communities, across the public and private sectors, and as a region – we can pool our resources, share our expertise, and leverage our collective influence to achieve greater impact."The United Against Dengue initiative represents more than a program; it is a commitment that complements existing public health efforts by empowering communities to combat dengue through a multi-pronged approach: disease education, early action protocols, targeted public awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and support for affected individuals and communities.Aimed to enhance dengue awareness and bolster protection efforts, the initiative will be rolled out across Asia and beyond. Additional regional and local programs will be launched to further drive collective action, enhance dengue awareness, and support dengue prevention efforts.Read the full comic strip illustrated by The Woke Salaryman

Halting a sheep and goat plague outbreak to protect livelihoods in Sierra Leone

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting small animals, such as sheep and goats. PPR can be fatal and outbreaks, if left undetected, can have devastating consequences for people's livelihoods, particularly in pastoral communities.In Kamasasa, a village in north-west Sierra Leone where people are reliant on goat and sheep farming to make a living, an outbreak of PPR struck in September 2022 and threatened to wreak havoc in the community.“It was all over the town," explains Pa Adikali Sesay, Chief of Kamasasa village. "Everywhere you would go, people would say that their goats were sick. Some people would be crying because they were losing hope. If there was an emergency and they or their children got sick or if they need to pay school fees for their children, how would they pay for those things if all the animals died?”Having never experienced a PPR outbreak before, people were unsure what to do. And misinformation was spreading alongside the disease. Some farmers even fled the village, believing that their animals were under some form of mystical attack.But thankfully, local Sierra Leone Red Cross Society volunteers were on hand to support the community. Trained in epidemic control and community-based surveillance through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), they immediately recognized the disease as PPR, rapidly reported the outbreak to local animal health authorities, and mounted an effective response to halt its spread.“Our volunteers started mobilizing the community, sensitizing them, telling them not to eat these animals," says Osman Justin Conteh, CP3 Manager with the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society. "We separated the sick from those that are not sick so that then the disease will not continue to spread. Then specimens were collected and sent to the lab. We supported the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to treat these animals, vaccinating more than 10,000 goats and sheep against PPR."This quick, coordinated action made sure that PPR stopped spreading in the community and that sick animals were able to recover, with volunteers earning thanks and recognition from community members.Sorie Daba Sesay, a farmer from Kamasasa village, says: “The Red Cross arrived and told us to look for animals that were sick or had died. They helped get medicine to the sick goats so they would get better and not get sick again. We say to the Red Cross, thank you!”And Kamasasa village chief, Pa Adikali, adds: “The Red Cross did an incredible job. Without their intervention, we could have lost all our animals. The Red Cross arrived right when we needed their help.”This PPR outbreak response is just one example of many disease outbreaks detected, reported and responded to through the CP3 programme in Kambia. Since the programme began in 2018, Sierra Leone Red Cross Society teams have improved their capacity to prepare for and respond to epidemics and developed close partnerships with human, animal and environmental health authorities to keep communities healthy and safe.“The coming of CP3 and the Red Cross has helped us greatly in trying to mitigate the death toll of goats and sheep," says Ibrahim Harri Sesay, District Livestock Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Kambia. "They have trained over 250 volunteers across the districts here. CP3 volunteers are all over in the communities. They are with them, they know their problems. If there are any problems with disease, be it animal or human, they report to us directly and we react appropriately.”--The activities featured in this article were delivered as part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) which ran from 2018-2025.Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.   

IFRC and Africa CDC deepen partnership to strengthen health systems and emergency response across Africa

Geneva, 22 May 2025 - On the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing their commitment to protect lives and improve health outcomes across the African continent.The new memorandum builds on an initial agreement signed in August 2021, which enabled both organisations to join forces during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting risk communication community engagement, community health worker scale-up and vaccine rollout across Africa.The new agreement will enable both organizations to jointly respond more effectively to public health emergencies, strengthen primary healthcare systems, support epidemic and pandemic preparedness, enhance legal preparedness for public health emergencies and scale up community-based health services.“Strong health systems start in communities. This agreement reinforces our shared commitment with Africa CDC to put people at the centre of public health — from epidemic preparedness to everyday care. Together, we will continue to scale up community-led solutions that save lives, build trust, and make health systems more resilient for the future,” said Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General.“This renewed partnership between Africa CDC and IFRC is a powerful reminder that resilient health systems are built not only in hospitals, but in homes and communities,” said Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya. “Together, we are investing in people—our greatest resource—to detect, respond to and recover from health threats across Africa.”The new MoU sets out a framework for joint action, including:Strengthening coordination in humanitarian response and disease outbreaks.Developing joint preparedness and response initiatives, including legal and policy support for public health emergencies.Scaling up the community health workforce across more than a dozen countries.Supporting integrated disease surveillance and early warning systems.Advocating for universal health coverage and stronger, more resilient health systems.Working together, IFRC and Africa CDC will mobilise technical expertise, resources, and regional networks to support national health authorities and frontline responders. The partnership will also promote the integration of routine and emergency health services, enhance cross-border preparedness, and improve access to essential healthcare in hard-to-reach communities.The three-year agreement emphasises mutual support for workforce development, public health institutions, and the implementation of the Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2023–2027), aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and global commitments to health equity and sustainable development.Media contacts:For IFRC: Scott Craig, +41 76 370 35 75For Africa CDC: Margaret Edwin, Director of Communication and Public Information, Email: [email protected]

'These cows are our hope': Stopping a foot and mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia

“The money I get from selling cattle is usually used for daily needs, school fees for my children, and other expenses. Without livestock, there’s nothing else, including my house which would be neglected if the cattle couldn’t be sold.”Meet Najamuddin, a farmer from a small hamlet in South Sulawesi, Indonesia called Tallasa Baru. It’s perched high in the mountains, accessible only by a steep and rocky track from the nearest town of Maros, with lush vegetation and farmland stretching out as far as the eye can see.Najamuddin and his fellow villagers live a peaceful, secluded life in Tallasa Baru, relying largely on agriculture and cattle to make a living. Cows are seen as prized possessions here. Locals buy calves at the market, rear and breed them, then hope to sell them off for a higher price. A large cow can fetch as much as 8 million rupiah (around USD $500) – a life-changing sum of money.So, in late October 2022 when Najamuddin noticed worrying health symptoms in two of his cows, he feared the worst.“My livestock once contracted foot and mouth disease, which I didn’t know about at the time. Saliva was dripping, the cattle were trembling, and their eyes were tearing up. I was worried and so shocked until I reported it to the sub-village head, Irwan. I didn’t know what was happening or whether I needed to call a vet,” he explains.Thankfully, Head of Tallasa Baru, Irwan—who is also an Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) volunteer—was on hand to help. Having recently been trained in the detection and reporting of various human and animal health diseases through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), he knew exactly what to do.What is foot and mouth disease?Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep and pigs. Symptoms include fever, drooling, sores around the mouth and hooves, and lameness. If infected animals aren’t taken care of quickly, they can develop long-term health problems or die—resulting in huge economic losses for their owners.Trained community-based volunteers spring into actionThanks to their training in epidemic control and community-based surveillance, PMI volunteer and Village Head, Irwan, and CP3 Supervisor, Syarif, understood the gravity of the situation. Upon quickly coming to check Najamuddin’s cows’ symptoms for themselves, they alerted the local Animal Health Centre in Maros to a likely outbreak of FMD, triggering a rapid response.“The next day we immediately responded. This is a disease that spreads very quickly so the response must be faster to reduce the incidence of disease. We provided vitamins and mineral supplements, and we continued to respond and make observations to check that the animals there were healthy. Then, several weeks later, vaccination was carried out,” explains Dr Ujistina, Head of Maros Animal Health Centre.PMI volunteers were critical to this FMD outbreak response. They quickly raised awareness throughout Tallasa Baru about the risks of FMD, encouraging people to check for symptoms and isolate their cattle until the situation was under control.Volunteers showed villagers how to build small holding pens to contain their cows for their injections and conducted disinfection activities around the hamlet to prevent further spread of disease. And when the cattle vaccination campaign was arranged, PMI volunteers transported veterinary teams and supplies up the long and bumpy road to the hamlet to make sure everyone arrived safely.Thanks to PMI volunteers’ quick action and support to animal health authorities, the FMD outbreak was swiftly contained in Tallasa Baru. Najamuddin’s cattle were saved and made a full recovery—protecting his income so he can continue to support himself and his family.“I feel proud, and thankful because CP3 has explained this disease, and now I understand it better. Thank God, since CP3 came, since my cattle were vaccinated and injected, they’ve all remained healthy. There haven’t been any more disease outbreaks,” he explains.Helping the community adopt healthier behavioursTeaching the community in Tallasa Baru about FMD and other disease threats, and encouraging them to take steps to reduce their risks, requires patient and sustained engagement from local and trusted PMI volunteers like Irwan.“Through CP3 I’m able to educate the people who perhaps lack understanding about diseases that can infect people and animals. When we started, a lot of the people didn’t care. We had to explain repeatedly about diseases and what would happen if they weren’t addressed, then they started to accept,” he explains.“I have lost cattle before. Nobody should ever have to go through what I’ve been through. Because these cows, they are our hope,” he adds.There is proof that this dedicated engagement is paying off. One Tallasa Baru resident, Mansyur, used to be a vocal critic of vaccines, and would go around the village telling people they would make people’s animals sick. But support from PMI volunteers has made him change his tune.“Previously, we always refused. Don’t vaccinate my cows, we don't want to risk it if it's a poison. Because we didn’t understand that vaccination is good. After CP3 came then we understood that the vaccine is good because without vaccination many cattle would have died by now. Now, we want to give vaccines to our cattle,” says Mansyur.Despite its remote location and access challenges, Tallasa Baru is now safer and healthier thanks to the ongoing presence of trained PMI volunteers. Their constant vigilance makes sure no disease outbreak goes undetected. And by equipping their community with the knowledge to recognize and report diseases—they’re making sure their health is protected, both now and long into the future.--The activities featured in this article were part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3). Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter. 

A simple solution keeping communities in Cameroon hydrated and healthy

One day in July 2023, Rachel and Irene from the Cameroon Red Cross Society were out and about in Bamvele village, Cameroon, running routine health promotion activities as part of the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).They’d called a community meeting and were in the middle of sharing important messages about detecting and preventing infectious diseases, when someone caught Rachel’s eye.“We were in the middle of our session when I saw one lady in particular who was doing her washing and listening really closely. When we finished, she approached us to ask us questions. It was at this point she told us about her mother who had been experiencing diarrhoea for two days and who was lying down at home,” she Rachel.The young woman’s name was Najassa. She explained that seeing her mother weak and bedridden for two days had made her extremely worried. But Rachel and Irene reassured her that they could put her mother on the road to recovery using three ingredients she likely already had at home.They proceeded to show Najassa how to prepare something called Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)—a medically formulated drink used to prevent or treat dehydration caused by diarrhoea or vomiting. ORS works by quickly restoring a person’s fluids and essential minerals and is a vital tool in the fight against diarrhoeal diseases, which remain one of the leading causes of death in low-income countries.Rachel and Irene taught Najassa to mix one litre of drinking water, eight sugar cubes and two to three pinches of salt in a bottle—shaking well to make sure everything was properly combined. They then told her to give the drink to her mother and keep preparing it for her until she felt better.“As soon as I started drinking the solution, I felt my strength come back. My daughter asked me ‘mum, have you drunk all the medicine yet? The Red Cross told me you have to finish it. I’m going to make you some more.’ I finished it all, and by the third day I was no longer suffering from diarrhoea. I trust the Red Cross because the medicine they gave me stopped my diarrhoea, it cured me,” says Amina, Najassa’s mother.Thankfully, Amina made a full recovery. And beyond Amina’s own personal experience, Rachel and Irene have noticed tangible behaviour change within the community in Bamvele when it comes to protecting themselves from and preventing disease outbreaks.“We’ve noticed that now, when people are struck by diarrhoea, they prepare ORS themselves because we’ve shown them how to do it and they are happy. It’s really heartwarming to see,” explains Rachel.Their disease prevention efforts, and those of so many more Cameroon Red Cross staff and volunteers, are also recognized by local health authorities.“The Red Cross plays an important role in supporting our epidemic preparedness and response activities. They’re heavily involved in awareness-raising activities at the community level and provide us with logistical and technical support. The Red Cross and health really go hand in hand,” explains Dr Diane Foe from Cameroon’s Delegation of Public Health in the East region.As for Najassa, she feels the help and health knowledge she received from the Cameroon Red Cross will stay with her for years to come.“If I see someone in my community suffering from this kind of diarrhoea, I'm going to do the same thing I did for my mum. I'll make the solution the Red Cross taught me about. It’s so effective. You can do it at home and it gives you strength so you can get to the hospital.”“Rachel made sure to call me several days later to make sure my mother was okay. She really is an angel for our community. Without the Red Cross, I don’t know where my mother would be right now. So I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”--The activities featured in this article are part of the multi-country  Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).  Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats. If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.  

Protecting communities from epidemics in Kyrgyzstan’s rural north

The Talas region in northern Kyrgyzstan is known for its striking geography, made up of imposing mountains, impressive gorges and wild landscapes. It’s one of the most sparsely populated parts of the country, and people here largely rely on farming and agriculture for their livelihoods.Living and working in close proximity to livestock, many of which are not vaccinated against diseases due to the high costs, puts communities in Talas at an elevated risk of zoonotic diseases—diseases that can pass from animals to humans.In a bid to keep people in Talas safe and healthy, the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan (RCSK) is working hard to educate communities about different animal and human disease risks and introduce community-based surveillance (CBS) to detect and report potential outbreaks early to enable a rapid response.What is community-based surveillance?Community-based surveillance is the systematic detection and reporting of unusual health events within a community, by community members.It’s important in a rural and mountainous region like Talas, where people often have to travel long distances to access health services. If a disease outbreak were to occur and go undetected in Talas, it has the potential to spread and cause huge damage before health or veterinary authorities even have a chance to respond.Through the Programmatic Partnership with the European Union, the Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent began implementing community-based surveillance in Talas in 2024 with support from IFRC. It’s the first agency in the country to use this approach to contribute to national disease surveillance.“We have a memorandum with the State health and veterinary authorities that helps us implement community-based surveillance (CBS),” explains Gulnura Abdumanapova, Health Coordinator with Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent“We’ve trained 62 Red Crescent volunteers to recognize signs of the five most widely spread diseases in the area. Three diseases in humans: measles, acute respiratory infection and Hepatitis A. And two zoonotic diseases: anthrax and rabies. In addition, volunteers report any unusual animal deaths they detect.”“If volunteers see something unusual whilst out conducting risk communication activities within their communities, they send an SMS alert to their supervisor. Then the case is reported to the nearest medical or veterinary centre, at which point a doctor or veterinarian comes out to investigate. If volunteers don’t notice anything during their regular visits, they also send what’s called a ‘zero report’ via SMS. This confirms that the situation is normal and no risk is detected,” adds Gulnura. Since community-based surveillance was introduced in Talas in June 2024, seven alerts from trained Red Crescent volunteers have so far been escalated to health authorities for investigation, resulting in the confirmation and quick response to five cases of acute respiratory infections, one case of Hepatitis A and one unusual animal death.Volunteers from the community, protecting the communityKyrgyzstan Red Crescent volunteers are well-placed to conduct community-based surveillance in Talas because they come from the communities they serve—meaning they understand the local health context and challenges, are always present, and are trusted by their neighbours and peers.The volunteers trained in community-based surveillance were already doing important work in their communities to raise awareness about different disease risks and the steps people can take to reduce them—such as following proper hygiene measures, immunizing their children, and vaccinating their animals whenever they have the financial means.Now volunteers are also encouraging people to inform them whenever they experience unusual health symptoms or notice anything unusual about their pets’ or livestock’s’ health, so they can check the signs, report via community-based surveillance, and make sure people get help quickly.Keeping kids healthyAs well as introducing community-based surveillance and raising community awareness about infectious diseases, last year Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent also teamed up with local health authorities to run screening activities in Talas to check schoolchildren for signs of two zoonotic parasitic diseases.“The aim of the ultrasound screening program is to find and prevent echinococcosis and alveococcosis, two diseases that can be spread to humans by pets or wild animals. Children are vulnerable because they often play outside with animals without understanding it can be dangerous,” explains Elnura Turdukulova, Field Officer in the Talas Regional Branch of Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent.“We chose to conduct this work in Talas because the region previously experienced a deadly case. The parasites spread in the liver, so doctors check the liver first. One of our checkups resulted in the timely identification of disease in one of the pupils”, continues Elnura. The children who were screened received small presents for their courage during the ultrasound. They also took part in fun educational sessions with staff from Kygyzstan Red Crescent and local health authorities to learn about different disease risks and why they need to be especially careful around animals.--The activities outlined above were made possible thanks to the Programmatic Partnership with the European Union—an innovative, multi-year partnership between the IFRC, member National Societies and the EU to help communities worldwide reduce their risks and be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies.

Ebola outbreak in Uganda: Red Cross providing lifesaving support to communities as response continues

What is the current situation with the Ebola outbreak in Uganda?“On 30 January, Uganda’s Ministry of Health declared the country’s eighth outbreak of Ebola virus following the death of a nurse in the capital, Kampala. Contacts of this index case were traced. Those who tested positive for Ebola were successfully treated and discharged, triggering the countdown to declare the outbreak over. But then another cluster of cases was detected following the death of a young boy on 24 February. The boy’s mother and her newborn baby had also passed away a few weeks earlier, and their deaths are being treated as probable Ebola cases.”“As it stands, 12 Ebola cases have been confirmed, including two confirmed deaths, with an additional two probable cases—across six districts in Uganda: Kampala, Jinja, Kyegegwe, Mbale, Ntoroko and Wakiso.”“Although we have technically begun the second countdown, there remains a lot of uncertainty and the risk that there may still be cases within the community persists. Epidemiologists and surveillance teams are working hard to identify how these cases may have overlapped, as it is concerning that cases have been reported in different areas spread out across the country.”“We are supporting the Ugandan Ministry of Health, which has activated scenario two of its National Response Plan: ‘sustain’. This means there’s been a delay in the detection of cases outside the known contact list and that we must plan for the next 210 days— the period of at least 10 Ebola incubation cycles—rather than just focusing on the short term.”How is this outbreak different from previous Ebola outbreaks the country has faced, and are there any specific challenges?“There are several key differences to this outbreak. Firstly,cases have been reported mainly in cities and densely populated areassuch as Kampala and Wakiso, compared to the 2022 Ebola outbreak which struck the small town of Mubende. This makes contact tracing challenging due to the high population density, the fact that people are moving around a lot – both domestically and potentially internationally. And it increases the risk of transmission because people live in close proximity, sharing public spaces and transport.”“Secondly, the fact that the first case was detected post-mortem in the national referral hospital presents achallenge for the surveillance system. If it had been detected sooner, it would have been easier to conduct contact tracing and minimize the spread.”“Finally, and very importantly,this outbreak came while we are also fighting another epidemic: mpox. We had already been responding to mpox for some time and we now need to integrate both responses. It also means we have to adapt our risk communication efforts within communities, making sure they are aware of both diseases, the signs to look out for, the ways they can stay safe.”“On the positive side, all Ebola cases that have been confirmed and who have received treatment in this outbreak have been able to survive. Whereas there was a high case fatality rate during the last outbreak in 2022, so far we’re seeing a 100% recovery rate when cases are detected in time.”How is the Uganda Red Cross Society supporting the response?“We are doing a lot of different activities in support of the Ministry of Health, complementing their response and filling any gaps. We are involved incase management, supporting with emergency evacuations of suspected cases and referrals through our ambulance system.”“Our volunteers are doing a huge amount ofrisk communication and community engagement to explain the risks of both Ebola and mpox to the population, encouraging them to take preventive measures and report any unusual health symptoms. This includes addressing any rumours and concerns people have—sometimes we have to convince people that Ebola is even real.”“We have alsoactivated trained Safe and Dignified Burials (SDB) teams across the country who are ready to deploy if someone is confirmed to have died from Ebola in the community. These teams are trained to properly engage the community, helping them understand why the burial needs to happen in a certain way to prevent spread of the disease, and reassuring them. Because it’s a difficult time for the community. We have to get their approval.”How has Uganda Red Cross improved its preparedness for epidemics in recent years, and how is this helping with the response now?“The past few years we have really developed the tools, structures, and the technical capacity required to respond to outbreaks on this scale thanks to support from IFRC and our donors. On the human resource side, many of our staff and volunteers have been trained in safe and dignified burials, community-based surveillance, and risk communication and community engagement. These are personnel we have in-house and deploy straight away—we don’t need to wait for outside help to come in. We also already had equipment—vehicles, communication materials, prepositioned personal protective equipment (PPE) that we could use straight away.”“Something really important is that we already had an operational community-based surveillance system, which has been well-tested over many years. Although this isn’t nationwide, which would require significant resources, it has been an important part of our epidemic preparedness efforts in select, high-risk areas of the country. And we are now working to implement CBS in Ebola outbreak areas as part of our response so that volunteers can report suspected cases for rapid response.”“We have also worked closely with the Ministry of Health and other authorities on epidemic preparedness and response in recent years, which means our role is well-understood and we have good coordination systems in place to work together when disease outbreaks strike.”--For the latest updates on Uganda Red Cross Society’s response to Ebola and mpox,follow them on X orvisit the URCS website.You can also click here to donate to the IFRC’s Uganda Ebola outbreak appeal and support their lifesaving work.In recent years, the Uganda Red Cross Society has worked hard to improve its epidemic preparedness and response with support from:TheCommunity Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), funded by USAIDTheProgrammatic Partnership, funded by the European UnionAnEbola preparedness emergency appeal(2018-2021) and aDisaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) operation(2018-2020)

World Water Day 2025: Angola Red Cross and IFRC bring safe, treated water and hygiene messages to communities hard hit by cholera

Ever since a cholera outbreak in Angola was first confirmed on January 7, 2025, Angola Red Cross volunteers have been at the forefront of the response, helping people avoid exposure to this often deadly water-borne disease. Sometimes, they even brought water into communities in buckets, balanced on top of their heads, to prepare oral hydration solutions or provide people with safe drinking water.The outbreak started in Cacuaco, a suburban area of Luanda Province. which hosts the country’s capital and approximately 1.2 million residents. Since then, the disease has spread to 14 provinces and 57 municipalities, with Luanda reporting the highest number of cases (3,788) .“The oral cholera vaccine is an important tool in the fight against cholera and this is the first time it is being used in Angola, but we always need to combine this with other preventative measures such as water treatment, handwashing with soap and sanitation.”Catarina Laurinda, coordinator of the Angola Red Cross response to the cholera outbreakThe outbreak continues to escalate due to poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and high population density. In Cuanza Norte Province, the disease is taking lives at an alarming rate. Since the outbreak started, the Angola Red Cross trained 478 volunteers across six provinces (Luanda, Bengo, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Uige, and Zaire) to support the Ministry of Health in raising awareness.Volunteers disseminated information on cholera’s causes, symptoms, prevention measures, and hygiene promotion through door-to-door and mass communication in schools, markets and other public venues.“Our volunteers are visiting households in cholera hotspots, supporting the Ministry of Health in setting up hand-washing facilities in key places, as well as providing safe, treated water and cleaning solutions for households,” explains Catarina Laurinda, who is coordinating the cholera response for the Angola Red Cross.“As part of water disinfection efforts, they have distributed more than 20.000 household water-treatment tablets in affected communities.”Angola Red Cross volunteers also track cholera transmission routes and ensure that people have access to safe water supplies, sanitation and hygiene services. Teams treat people at the community level by administering oral rehydration therapy to people with cholera and refer the most severe cases to hospitals.“When the cholera outbreak started in Cacuacuo, our first work was distributing water treatment tablets to ensure the population had access to safe water to drink,” saysJoana Manuel Joao, an Angola Red Cross volunteer.“This way, sick people could prepare the oral rehydration salts. We then demonstrated how to use the tablets and how to store the water properly so it does not get contaminated.”One of the main ways the volunteers support the cholera vaccination campaign is by building trust and engaging with communities. The volunteers reach out to traditional community leaders and disseminate information about the cholera vaccine, proper hygiene and sanitation practices.“The oral cholera vaccine is an important tool in the fight against cholera and this is the first time it is being used in Angola,”Catarina Laurina adds, “but we always need to combine this with other preventative measures such as water treatment, handwashing with soap and sanitation.”The larger challenge, however, is to ensure that future outbreaks can be avoided.“With the tools we have today and the knowledge we have had for over a century, cholera should not be a public health concern,”says Alexandra Machado, currently in Angola serving as IFRC’s public health coordinator. “We have seen cholera outbreaks becoming annual occurrences during the last years in this region.”“This is why the IFRC is supporting National Societies and communities to be better prepared, so that they are able to prevent cholera and other epidemics at community level.” This preparation and development work is a key part of IFRC’s Ending Cholera Plan, which stresses that water and sanitation services need to be accessible to all – and not just in response to outbreaks or emergencies.“If we really want to put an end to cholera, we need to acknowledge its roots causes,”explains Naemi Heita, who heads the IFRC’s Country Cluster office in Maputo and Angola. “Governments, NGOs, and the private sector must mobilize and increase investments in water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructures, health, and social systems so that they can withstand the fallout from disasters, conflicts, and climate change.”Learn more about the IFRC’s approach to water, sanitation and hygiene:IFRC water, sanitation and hygiene webpageIFRC Water and Sanitationresources for WASH practitionersIFRC and World Water DayRead other World Water Day 2025 storiesWorld Water Day 2025: From glaciers to the kitchen sink, a story of water and resilience from two mountain villages in TajikistanWorld Water Day 2025: Clean water is about safety, health and so much moreWorld Water Day: After the quake, Red Cross brings life-changing water to Vanuatu’s hidden communities

World Water Day 2025: Clean water is about safety, health and so much more

For first-grader Alif Aqabat, a young girl from the Yemeni city of Dhamar, school should have been a place of learning and growth. Instead, it became a daily struggle.“I couldn’t use the bathrooms or drink the water,” she recalled. “I told my mom I couldn’t stay because it wasn’t clean.”Alif wasn’t alone. Asmaa School for Girls in Dhamar was facing a major hygiene crisis. The restrooms were in poor condition, and the drinking water wasn’t safe. Teachers, like Afrah Al-Ashwal, who had been educating students there for 15 years, saw firsthand how this impacted the children.“We had lots of problems, especially students catching diseases,” she explained.But change was coming. Thanks to a dedicated water and sanitation project launched by the Yemen Red Crescent, the school underwent a much-needed renovation. New water taps were installed, and proper plumbing was put in place for the bathrooms.The renovations were one of several initiatives by the Yemen Red Crescent Society to upgrade or install new clean water and sanitation services in communities where needs are most acute. The work is supported through a joint initiative of the European Union and the IFRC known as the Programmatic Partnership.At the Asmaa School for Girls, the transformation was immediate.“The project has solved many problems in the school, especially regarding student health,” said Principal Ghada El Shazmi. “It has helped create an attractive and healthy environment for learning.”For Alif, the change meant one thing—she could finally return to school.“One day, I found out they installed clean water taps and fixed the restrooms,” she said. “So I told my mom I wanted to go back.”Now, Alif is back in school, learning, growing, and dreaming of a bright future. A simple change—clean water—made all the difference.From drought to hope: bringing clean water to Yemen’s Al Souq Al JadidIn another Yemeni community, a similar story is unfolding.For years, the women of Al Souq Al Jadid in Yemen’s Kharif District followed a daily routine that was both exhausting and frustrating. With water containers balanced on their heads, they walked long distances to wells—only to find them dry. Sometimes, they would have to trek even farther in search of another water source, their efforts often met with disappointment.Washing clothes was another struggle. Women carried heavy bundles of laundry up to the wells, hoping to clean their families’ clothes, only to discover there was no water. When that happened, their only option was to journey nearly a kilometer away to three rainwater pools.There, they would spend half the day washing blankets, utensils, and clothes—an arduous task made harder by the sheer distance and time involved.Water was a necessity, not just for drinking but for every aspect of life—cleaning the house, washing dishes, doing laundry, and even keeping animals hydrated.Yet, access to clean drinking water was never guaranteed. By the afternoon, water supplies often run low, forcing another trip to the well. The alternative was drinking from a rust-contaminated water tank, turning every sip into a health risk.The consequences of drinking from such contaminated sources can be serious – even deadly. Contaminated water sources in Yemen have led to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, and other health issues such as kidney problems and other bacterial infections.This is one of the reasons, the Yemen Red Crescent and the Programmatic Partnership embarked on an ambitious project to help alleviate the situation in Al Souq Al Jadid.Over a period of five months, the Yemen Red Crescent oversaw the installation of a reliable water distribution system that is now bringing clean water directly to homes. Today, more than 8,000 people—1,200 families across 900 households—benefit from the project.Gone are the days of waiting for mobile water tankers, uncertain of when the next supply would arrive. Now, water is pumped to a collection tank in Al-Birr and then distributed directly to homes in Al Souq Al Jadid.For the community, this project has been life-changing. The struggles of collecting water from distant wells are over. Women no longer spend hours on the road or at rainwater pools. And most importantly, families now have safe, clean water to drink.“We’re grateful we no longer go to wells,” one resident shared. “Today, we drink clean water, and everyone knows it’s much better than what we had before.”What was once a daily hardship is now a distant memory. Clean water has not just quenched thirst in this community—it has transformed lives.Learn more:Read more aboutWorld Water Day and IFRC’s approach toWater, Sanitation and HygieneRead more about theProgrammatic Partnership.Read more IFRC World Water Day 2025 stories:World Water Day 2025: Angola Red Cross and IFRC bring safe, treated water and hygiene messages to communities hard hit by choleraWorld Water Day: After the quake, Red Cross brings life-changing water to Vanuatu’s hidden communitiesWorld Water Day 2025: From glaciers to the kitchen sink, a story of water and resilience from two mountain villages in Tajikistan

International Women’s Day: In Cameroon’s Far North region, mothers’ clubs provide a model for building a healthier, more prosperous future

In a region where diseases such as cholera and malaria continue to pose a significant risk to life, mothers’ clubs are providing communities with essential information on health and hygiene, while also looking out for signs of potential health problems or outbreaks."In the past, many women did not understand the importance of vaccination, menstrual hygiene, or prenatal consultations,”says Tchinabi Thérèse, president of the Kodek mothers' club and mother of six children.“Today, thanks to the training provided by the Red Cross, we know how to explain these topics to our community and convince them to adopt good practices."The work of the mothers’ clubs goes beyond issues of health. They work with local parents, for example, to allow young girls to stay in school and they support a wide range of income-generating projects that provide women with their reliable sources of revenue.The projects include a community farm that grows millet and cowpeas, a project in which members produce artisanal oils (sesame, balanites, moringa), a farm that raises sheep and many other initiatives.The activities are supported by something called theProgrammatic Partnership,a multi-year partnership between the IFRC, member National Societies and theEuropean Union to help communities worldwide be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies.Supporting safe and healthy communitiesIn Cameroon’s Far North, the results are tangible: local health authorities report that more women are now regularly visiting their local health centre, hospital births have increased, and proper hygiene practices are becoming widespread.“This initiative has helped a great deal in the Kodek health area,”explains Manasse Kouchakbe, midwife and Interim Head of the Kodek Health Centre. “Mothers’ clubs have been very helpful in raising awareness in households and they also help us to identify diseases with epidemic potential in the communities.“Take malaria – through sensitization, volunteers have increased community members’ use of insecticide-treated bed nets. Now, the number of malaria cases has dropped significant.”In emergency health situations, the mothers’ clubs also mobilize."When a child was bitten by a dog, we immediately alerted the Red Cross and advised the mother on the necessary actions,”says Aïssatou Dahirou, president of the Dougoï mothers' club. “Thanks to this quick intervention, the child received timely medical care."With the support of the Red Cross, these women are not simply recipients of humanitarian aid; they have become public health advocates within their own communities.Promoting equality, education and empowermentBeyond their role in addressing health and hygiene issues, the mothers’ clubs are also helping to empower women – particularly young women and girls – to have more control over their future and well-being.One of the major challenges, for example, is the continued practice of early marriage, in which girls are married before they are able to finish school. To help change these practices, the Red Cross and the mothers' clubs are actively working together to change community attitudes and convince families to let girls finish their education. "In the past, girls were married off at 12 or 13 years old,”explains Aïssatou Dahirou, president of the Dougoï mothers' club. “Today, thanks to awareness efforts, more and more families are allowing their daughters to continue their education."Supported by the Red Cross, the mothers' clubs organize awareness sessions in schools and neighborhoods to encourage parents to keep their daughters in school. Their message: an educated girl can help lift her entire family out of poverty.One of those parents, Soureya, did in fact change her thinking on the issue after visiting with the Kodek mothers' club."I had to drop out of school in my first year of primary middle class,”she says. “Today, I want my daughters to go further than I did. Thanks to the Red Cross, I have understood the importance of education, and I do everything I can to keep my kids in school."Supporting women’s economic empowermentThe Cameroon Red Cross and the mothers’ clubs also supporting the economic empowerment of women through a support program for Income-Generating Activities (IGAs), enabling the mothers' clubs to develop local economic initiatives.In Kodek, women cultivate a community farm, growing millet and cowpeas, ensuring a stable source of income.In Dougoï, they have established a production of artisanal oils (sesame, balanites, moringa).They have also launched a sheep farming project, made possible by 600,000 FCFA in funding provided by the Red Cross."We started with five sheep, and today we have managed to expand our flock. After the Feast of the Sacrifice, we will sell our animals and generate profits," explains Aïssatou Dahirou.However, challenges remain, feeding the animals is costly, and the women still lack sufficient equipment to strengthen their activities. Despite these obstacles, they remain determined to expand their IGAs and ensure their financial autonomy.With Red Cross support, they are not only becoming economically independent but also strengthening their role in decision-making within their households and communities.

Cholera: Early detection by Cameroon Red Cross volunteer helps limit epidemic

In November 2024, Cameroon Red Cross volunteer, Rouyatou, from Maroua was going about her day when she received an urgent call from one of her neighbours, Habiba. She had suddenly developed stomach pain, acute diarrhea and was vomiting.Rouyatou rushed to Habiba’s house. Thanks to training she’d received from IFRC, Cameroon Red Cross and French Red Cross incommunity-based surveillance, Rouyatou knew how to recognize signs of different diseases and quickly report them using a digital tool on her phone calledNyss.“When I saw Habiba, I had oral rehydration solution (ORS) with me, so I gave her a sachet and referred her to the nearest hospital. I also directly alerted my supervisor that it was a potential case of cholera,” explains Rouyatou.Upon receiving the alert, Rouyatou’s supervisor called her to discuss Habiba’s symptoms and immediately escalated the alert to local health authorities, triggering a rapid response to curb the spread of disease.In the days that followed, Cameroon Red Cross teams formed an integral part of the cholera outbreak response—continuing to alert authorities to potential cases and conducting a wide range of activities to keep the community safe.“We worked hard to raise awareness of the outbreak in the community—visiting people at their homes, mosques, water points, churches and markets and sharing messages over the radio. We told people about the importance of good hygiene and showed them how they could make their water safe to drink. We also conducted disinfection in homes around the neighbourhood,” explains Ali Adoum, President of Maroua 3 District, Cameroon Red Cross.Stronger, faster, closer, saferIn recent years, Cameroon has experienced repeated outbreaks of cholera, with the Far North region being one of the hardest hit areas. But with effective preparedness and response it’s possible to minimize their impacts and stop them in their tracks.Through theProgrammatic Partnership with the European Union, the IFRC and French Red Cross have teamed up to make sure Cameroon Red Cross’ epidemic preparedness capacity isstronger; outbreak response isfaster; health assistance iscloser to communities; and people aresaferfrom disease outbreaks.“The Far North region of Cameroon is prone to cholera epidemics due to communities’ limited access to hygiene and sanitation facilities and the region’s vulnerability to flooding. Through the programme, we thought it would be useful to train community volunteers to recognize and notify potential cholera cases in the community in good time, so that we can take action quickly to bring any epidemics under control,”explains Chimène Kenmeugne Tchuente, Deputy Head of the Epidemic Preparedness pillar of the programme in Cameroon from French Red Cross.In addition to training, the Programmatic Partnership had also provided handwashing equipment and cholera kits—consisting of oral rehydration serums, glucose serums and aquatabs for water disinfection—to local health workers prior to the outbreak, which were able to be quickly used in the response.The epidemic may be over, but preparedness never stopsThe November 2024 cholera outbreak in Maroua was contained within four weeks. Habiba, the first person to contract cholera in the outbreak, and who received support from Rouyatou, made a full recovery.127 cases were ultimately recorded, with two confirmed deaths. While even one death from cholera is a great tragedy, local health authorities report that this epidemic likely would have been far worse, and claimed even more lives, had it not been for the Cameroon Red Cross:“Thanks to the Red Cross, the cholera epidemic that broke out in the district was brought under control by the provision of medicines, logistical support, and the sensitization work by community volunteers in the neighbourhood. I’d like to thank the Red Cross for its support, for its swift and effective action, which really limited the damage in our district,”says Dama Patrice, Head of Maroua 3 District Health Office.Though the cholera epidemic was contained, Cameroon Red Cross volunteers continue regular sensitization efforts to keep people informed about a wide range of disease risks, making sure they know how to stay safe and keeping a close eye out for unusual health events.Rouyatou puts it best:“If we hadn't detected this case, just imagine.... The whole community would be suffering from this disease. I want the best for my community, and above all I want to see my community in good health. So, I am proud to volunteer.”--The activities outlined above were made possible thanks to theProgrammatic Partnership with the European Union—an innovative, multi-year partnership between the IFRC, member National Societies and the EU to help communities worldwide reduce their risks and be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies.

Guinea Red Cross supports rural community to build its own health post to prevent epidemics

Imagine you fell really sick one day and instead of an ambulance coming to get you, or a loved one driving you to the hospital, the only option was for people in your village to physically carry you for hours across difficult terrain to reach the nearest health centre.This used to be the reality for people living in Kabayaba—a small, rural village of around 2,500 people in central Guinea. Located 24 kilometres by road from the nearest town (Tiro) and health centre, a costly journey which becomes nearly impossible in the rainy season when the surrounding rivers rise, the people of Kabayaba had long suffered from a lack of access to health services. This put villagers at a high risk of epidemics, as historically it took a long time to report disease outbreaks and for help to arrive."Previously, when someone fell ill here, we used to carry them on a stretcher to the Tiro health centre. When a woman had to give birth, we would put her on the stretcher, and we'd carry her all the way to Tiro," explains Sékouba Kandé, a resident of Kabayaba village.Through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), local Guinea Red Cross teams engaged the people of Kabayaba in a ‘community diagnostic’ process to identify villagers’ biggest health concerns and find potential solutions. Knowing that women in the community are typically expected to go along with their husband's wishes, volunteers held separate discussions with men, women, and young people so that each group’s needs and ideas could be heard in an equal and balanced way.Villagers unanimously decided they wanted to build their own health post in Kabayaba so they’d no longer need to evacuate sick people and pregnant women to Tiro for medical assistance. Guinea Red Cross teams then supported the community to develop an action plan—identifying the steps they needed to take to fund, build, and staff the health post—and come up with a timeline for the works.Over the course of three years, the Kabayaba community rallied together to build bricks, chop wood, and source all the materials needed to build the health post. People worked in the nearby town, grew crops in the village, and fundraised from the village diaspora to collect the money needed to complete the project.At the same time, the Guinea Red Cross helped the community advocate to local health authorities, who, recognizing the community’s resourcefulness, agreed to assign three medical staff to the health post and fully stock it with medical supplies.Opening its doors in February 2024, the Kabayaba Health Post is now the pride and joy of the community, offering a wide range of health services including check-ups, immunization, maternal and child health, and minor surgery.“Before, to get help for my high blood pressure, my son had to hire a motorbike to take me to Tiro or Faranah. But now, with this health post, I regularly come here on foot. A lot of people now come for a quick consultation because it's close by and doesn't require a lot of money. We thank God and those who built this health post,”says Fèrai Oularé, Kabayaba resident.While the risk of infectious diseases persists in Kabayaba, the presence of the local health post significantly reduces the risk of diseases spreading by ensuring early detection and action of unusual health events.“This health post plays an important role in preventing epidemics. It is close to the community and allows us to treat patients quickly. Our job is to provide initial care or alert our supervisors in the event of an epidemic,” explains Saliou Oulare, Head of the Kabayaba Health Post.Alongside continued support from CP3 volunteers, the Kabayaba health post helps strengthen the health system in Faranah by offering local, timely and high-quality medical services and by improving the community’s health resilience to epidemics."Today, my family and my community benefit from the health post. If someone falls ill, they go to thehealth postfor treatment and then go home. We've said goodbye to our problems," adds Fatoumata Condé from Kabayaba.---The activities featured in this article are part of the multi-countryCommunity Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).Funded by theU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supports communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more,sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.