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United Nations Warns of Cholera Outbreak in Countries Bordering Northern
Cameroon

   Chinedu Offor | Washington DC 12 August 2010

   The  United  Nations  is  warning  that  people in countries bordering
   northern  Cameroon  are  at risk of contracting cholera, a water-borne
   disease.  Already over 2,000 cases have been confirmed in the north of
   the country, with more than 300 reported dead.

   Dr.  Claire-Lise  Chaignat  is  head  of  the WHO Global Task Force on
   Cholera.

   âThis  is an issue of concern to the WHO because we know that the area
   affected is in a very remote location, where the infrastructure is not
   excellent  and  where access to water and proper sanitation [are] very
   limited for the affected population.â

   Dr. Chaignat says the best strategy for the WHO is to try to limit the
   spread of the disease.

   âThe  best  prevention is to improve access to safe drinking water and
   proper  sanitation, and this is exactly the big challenge in this part
   of  the  country,  where  we  haveâ¦a  population  that  is  having  a
   semi-nomadic  lifestyle,  where the hygiene perception is not the same
   as it is in our countries and in our part of the world.â

   She says health authorities in the affected countries are working with
   the  agency  to  ensure  relief to those already infected while making
   sure that the rest of the population is protected.

   âThe health authorities are very active; in fact they are doing health
   education  [and]  providing  adequate  supplies  to  treat  cases  and
   patients,  and  they also provide chlorine to make sure that the water
   the population is consuming is safe.â

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