Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 11-10-2017
In a race to prevent a cholera outbreak among the more than half a million Rohingya refugee arrivals over the past six weeks in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, the United Nations agencies has launched a massive immunization campaign.
The World Health Organisation warned of the potential for a cholera outbreak after more than 10,292 cases of diarrhoea had been reported and treated from across the settlements and camps over the last week.
The campaign is being led by the Ministry of Health and supported by the WHO and The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is being held in Ukhiya and Teknaf, where more than half a million people have arrived from across the border since August, joining vast numbers already residing in a series of settlements and camps.
According to the UN, some 900,000 doses of the vaccine have been mobilized and are being delivered by more than 200 mobile vaccination teams, making it the second largest oral cholera vaccination campaign ever.
World Health Organization Representative to Bangladesh Dr. N Paranietharan says the risk of cholera is clear and present, and the need for decisive action apparent.
“WHO is committed to mobilizing its full technical and operational capacity to support the Ministry and our partners to protect, promote and secure the health of this immensely vulnerable population.”
Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh says cholera is deadly.
“Cholera is a dangerous disease, especially among children living in cramped, unhygienic conditions and Prevention is essential.”
Some 900,000 doses of the vaccine have been mobilized and are being delivered by more than 200 mobile vaccination teams, making it the second largest oral cholera vaccination campaign ever.
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