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Cholera Sweeping Across Cameroon

Tue, 10 May 2011 12:15 GMT

Source: Content partner

EXPERTS are struggling to contain a mass cholera epidemic in Cameroon, which is killing scores of children, women and elderly people.

Children’s charity Plan International says the number of cases in the West African country rose by more than a fifth in the last week.

5600 people are now suffering from the highly infectious waterborne disease and 179 have died.

“The centre region of the country is the most heavily affected, with almost all health districts reporting cases,” says Barro Famari, Plan International’s Country Director in Cameroon. 

“Despite all the efforts of the Ministry of Health and partner organisations, efforts to stop the spread of the disease have so far not been successful.  The most vulnerable people in society – like young children, women and older people - are most at risk.”

Plan has deployed a specialist response team and is mobilising volunteers to begin disinfecting the public water supply in two of the worst-hit areas – Littoral and the South West regions. 

Treatment centres in the South West are already completely full and doctors in Littoral are trying to cope with the overflow.

Plan is concentrating on releasing public health information to warn people of the dangers of cholera and how to avoid contracting it.

 “As part of our efforts, we are producing 20,000 booklets that use cartoons to show children and young people how to prevent cholera,” says Mr. Famari.

“Meanwhile, we are helping those who are suffering from the illness, with 700,000 packs of Oral Rehydration salts on their way.”

“We need urgent funding to help us continue to fight the outbreak.”

Plan is also trying to secure the safety of children in the midst of the disaster.

Specialists from the organisation are working with local communities to help protect young people from abuse.

For more information on Plan call 0300 777 9777 or visit www.plan-uk.org

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Contact

Rose Foley

Media Relations Officer

Plan UK

0203 217 0257

Notes to editors

1) Plan is a global children’s charity. We work with children in the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future. A future you would want for all children, your family and friends. For over 70 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfil their potential by:

·         giving children a healthy start in life, including access to safe drinking water

·         securing the education of girls and boys

·         working with communities to prepare for and survive disasters

·         inspiring children to take a lead in decisions that affect their lives

·         enabling families to earn a living and plan for their children’s future.

 We do what’s needed, where it’s needed most. We do what you would do. With your support children, families and entire communities have the power to move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.

 www.plan.org.uk

2) We work with children in 48 of the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future.

3) Plan was founded by British journalist John Langdon-Davies in 1937 to rescue orphans and other vulnerable children from the Spanish Civil War.

4) We have over 114,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £25 million a year, and 1.5 million sponsored children worldwide.

5) Sponsorship starts at £15-a-month and, rather than going to individual children and their families, funds projects to improve schooling, health, nutrition and livelihoods across communities.

6) Plan UK’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) is a group of young people aged 13-18 who offer Plan an invaluable youth perspective. YAP puts young people’s voices at the heart of Plan’s work, because they have ideas, experience and, needless to say, know more about childhood than adults. Their input can help Plan to understand how to work with the young people whose lives it aims to improve.