Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, confirmed that after decades without a single case of cholera, the outbreak recently announced in Lebanon and Syria indicates an ominous return of cholera in these two countries, which indicates that this resurgence tends to be worse in all countries Throughout the Region and worldwide, eight of the 22 countries in the Region are affected by outbreaks of cholera and acute watery diarrhoea.
Al-Mandhari said at a press conference held today Wednesday that there are currently 29 cholera outbreaks in the world, which is the highest number recorded in history, and cholera can be transmitted from one country to another, so the current outbreaks expose risk to neighboring countries. to heightened risk and highlight the urgent need for cholera control, and this is a wake-up call for all of us.
He added that due to the conditions the region is going through, including several complex humanitarian and medical emergencies, protracted conflicts, weak water and sanitation infrastructure and deteriorating economic conditions, cholera can spread rapidly and there is another factor that has contributed to the reappearance cholera; Namely, climate change has manifested itself in extreme weather conditions such as floods, droughts and hurricanes that have hit several countries. Droughts, which are becoming more common in our region, limit the availability of clean water and create ideal conditions for the spread of cholera.
Al-Mandhari continued: It is unreasonable that cholera outbreaks occur in our region in the twenty-first century and it is unacceptable that people die because of them, and clean water and adequate sanitation should be available to all because this is the fundamental right of everyone people, and most of the countries in the region affected by cholera outbreaks are among those suffering from weak water and sanitation infrastructure, which has not received valuable investment in recent years. The lack of water also contributes to this outbreak, which, as mentioned, is also the result of a drought.
And added: there is an urgent need for an urgent effort involving all stakeholders, with good coordination among them, to quickly control outbreaks and prevent further spread of cases and deaths in affected countries and in neighboring countries, and these efforts should be focused on increasing the appropriate provision of clean water and sanitation, promotion of good hygiene habits, intensive awareness raising, community engagement and enhanced surveillance through early warning for rapid case detection and effective response, and high quality clinical case management. patients, which is necessary to reduce mortality; Cholera is completely preventable and curable. WHO is collaborating with ministries of health and partners in all these areas.
However, the sudden increase in cholera outbreaks in the region and around the world has led to a severe shortage of cholera vaccines. As a result, the International Vaccine Coordinating Group, which manages the global stockpile of cholera vaccines, has temporarily suspended the standard two-dose vaccination system for cholera outbreak campaigns, adopting a single-dose approach instead. people must be vaccinated and protected. Oral cholera vaccination campaigns are planned in the coming weeks in Lebanon and Syria, and Pakistan recently conducted campaigns before and after the recent floods.
In conclusion, al-Mandhari said:
Although vaccines are an important tool, they are not the primary method of fighting cholera. The main way to prevent cholera is to provide safe water and sanitation services that are easily treated with oral rehydration. Most patients do not require hospitalization, and antibiotics are needed only in severe cases. It is true that cholera can lead to death, but it is also a preventable disease. Therefore, we must not let the hard-earned public health gains of the past decades be lost just because these simple interventions are out of reach for people, emphasizing the vital importance of solidarity among all parties involved and speed of action. The fight against cholera requires concerted efforts and cooperation to ensure health for everyone, so that we do not find a person dying from this disease.
