But despite local and international efforts to contain the disease, the number of victims continues to rise. As of 18 January, a total of 44,463 suspected cholera cases and 2,337 deaths were reported.
IOM’s response, which is concentrated on mobile and vulnerable populations, particularly in border areas and at transport hubs, includes health hygiene education, aqua tab distribution, delivery of medical supplies and education materials for affected communities, support to more than 20 cholera treatment centres (CTCs), including tents, transport and fuel assistance, non food relief items, and incentives for health care staff and assessment teams.
A new IOM partnership launched 2nd January with Tetra Pak (South Africa) to provide water containers labelled with cholera prevention messages has also seen the distribution of nearly 6,000 1-litre packs.
IOM continues to monitor border areas and remains on standby to assist in the event that any new outbreaks occur. Assessments are ongoing and cholera prevention messages are also being mainstreamed in all IOM programme areas.
IOM water and sanitation specialists are also visiting rural areas to advise people on how to minimize the risks of contracting cholera.
In Chiredzi district, in Zimbabwe’s south-eastern Masvingo Province they found people using unprotected open wells that they shared with domestic livestock. Their advice included flushing and cleaning the wells, protecting them with trenches to drain off contaminated water and fencing them off with logs and thorns to keep out the animals.
IOM is an active member of the UN Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
(WASH) clusters coordinated by WHO and UNICEF respectively. IOM has been designated as the lead agency for cholera response in the border areas of Manicaland, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North.
IOM is also working closely with its NGO partners in the areas of disease surveillance and reporting, case management, food, water, and health and hygiene promotion.
IOM’s cholera response activities have received funding and in-kind support from Sweden (SIDA), Austrialia (AusAid), AmeriCares and Tetra Pak (South Africa.)
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