Sierra Leone battling cholera

CHOLERA cases are rapidly increasing in one of the world's poorest countries - according to children's charity Plan International.

At least 216 people have died in Sierra Leone in West Africa -  with more than 12,000 infected by the highly contagious water-borne disease.

President Ernest Bai Koroma has declared a national emergency and the authorities have called for international assistance.

"The most alarming increase of cases has been in the capital - Freetown," says Plan's disaster advisor Edward Sesay.

"We are working to reduce the impact of this devastating outbreak on children and their communities."

"Currently we are concentrating on promoting crucial hygiene messages in schools, improving sanitation, and making sure people have access to safe water."

The UK government has announced it is investing £2m in an emergency plan to tackle the epidemic. 

The UN ranks Sierra Leone as one of the most deprived countries in the world where nearly two-thirds of people live on less than £1 a day.

"Besides death and illness, we are also dealing with the serious socio-economic and emotional impacts of the disease," explains Edward Sesay.

"People are facing dramatic dips in household income, children are being withdrawn from school, and families are struggling to cope with the trauma ."

Plan is a member of the National Cholera Task Force - working with the government and other leading agencies.

For more information on Plan’s work or to make a donation call 0800 526 848 or visit www.plan-uk.org

-Ends-

Rose Foley
Media Relations Officer
Plan UK | www.plan-uk.org

Direct Line: 0203 217 0257 | Switchboard: 0300 777 9777 / +44 (0)20 7608 1311 (Non-UK) | Mobile: 07964 296 431 | Skype: rose_planUK | Address: Finsgate 5-7 Cranwood Street, London EC1V 9LH

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 75 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfill 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) Plan UK is a member of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organisation for 14 leading humanitarian aid agencies.

3) We work with children in 50 of the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future.

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

6) We have over 100,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £24 million a year, and 1 million sponsored children worldwide

7) 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.