The organisation has also been providing technical coordination of field activities in response to the outbreak.As part of its contribution to stop the current cholera epidemic in Northern Cameroon, the Cameroon Country Office of the World Health Organisation, WHO has offered material and financial assistance worth about FCFA 50 million for the treatment of victims. Making the disclosure yesterday in Yaounde, the WHO Adviser in Charge of Disease Control, Dr Mbam Mbam Leonard, said the assistance consisted of five cholera treatment kits meant to treat about 3,200 cases. These were
handed to health authorities in the Far North Region, he said.Prior to the outbreak he pointed out, WHO had already been working with partners on ground to put in place measures to prevent it. After the outbreak, efforts were focussed on reducing its spread, but the onset of heavy rains in the region has since aggravated the situation, he explained.
The WHO adviser said his organisation was currently looking for funding to help with water and sanitation facilities in the region. These measures could help reduce the impact of another epidemic in future, he said. A reconnaissance mission was sent to the field to evaluate the situation, while another one would be leaving in the coming days to try to find out why the situation continues to persist. He said WHO was considering recruiting staff in future to deploy in the field to carry out coordination of disease control activities. He however hinted at the possibility of WHO deploying its staff on the field in the next phase of activities.{module Publicité 300_250|none}
In order to facilitate diagnosis of suspected cases, Dr Mbam Mbam said WHO, in collaboration with partners, had revised the case definition for cholera to enable health personnel in the affected regions provide prompt and efficient treatment to patients.
Asked why the outbreak this year has been particularly fatal, he said it was because it came in the heart of the rainy season in the North, instead of at the beginning as has been the case in recent years. He said the situation has been compounded by similar outbreaks at virtually the same time in neighbouring Nigeria, Chad and probably Niger. The poor hygiene and sanitation practices in the region have been compounded by flooding that carries around faeces that have been poorly disposed of, he said. The attitude of the people, he added, was not making things easy for health staff in the region. He disclosed that about 60 per cent of deaths in the Far North Region took place at home because the victims did not seek medical attention. A good number of those who come for treatment in health facilities do so too late that not much can be done to help them.
