Red Cross responds to cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone

Geneva, 20 Aug - (ANA) - Sierra Leone has declared a national emergency following the outbreak of cholera in the country which has claimed 176 lives  and affected nearly 11,000 people since Januarya. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Emergency Health Coordinator, Amanda McClelland, said “This current outbreak of cholera has the potential to be devastating and is proving very difficult to control. We are particularly concerned  by the rising numbers in Freetown which suffers from overcrowding, poor sanitation and lack of safe water access - all factors which contribute to this deadly disease. There have been over 250 patients a day in Freetown health centres in just the last week.” The IFRC has launched an emergency appeal for 1.1 million Swiss francs to help the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS) to strengthen its response against the epidemic. “The level of funding we have now is simply not enough to handle this emergency”, saysMcClelland.  “We need to mobilize and act now and prevent as many deaths and new cases as possible. To wait until we see the number of deaths in recent outbreaks like Zimbabwe and Haiti is a mistake.  This can be prevented and controlled with enough of the right  resources.” Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that can cause acute diarrhoea and vomiting and can kill in hours. People get the infection by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. The IFRC is now concerned that the disease could spread to other parts of the country.  Neighbouring Guinea, parts of Mali and Niger have also been affected by the outbreak.(ANA)

FA/ANA/20 August 2012------------