“The heavy rain, widespread floods and the high level of shearing are all burning the risk of cholera transfer and putting children at risk,” said UNICEF region director for West and Central Africa Gilles Fagninou.
Cholera is an acute diarrhea infection caused by the intake of food or water contaminated with bacteria. The disease can be treated with oral rehydration solution and antibiotics, but may be fatal within hours if they are untreated.
Young children are especially vulnerable to cholera due to factors such as poor hygiene, inadequate sanitation and access to safe water and a greater risk of severe dehydration.
Regional hotspots
Active outbreaks in hotspots in the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) and Nigeria burn the risk of cross -border transmission to neighboring countries.
DRC is the hardest hit in the region and reports more than 38,000 cases and 951 deaths in July.
Children under the age of five now account for almost 26 percent of cases in DRC, and without stronger inclusion measures, they may have the worst cholera crisis since 2017.
The situation in the capital, Kinshasa, is especially critical, as intense rainfall and widespread floods have caused cases to rise sharply in the last four weeks. The city exerts an already overwhelmed health system, and the city is now facing an alarming eight percent case.
Nigeria is the second most affected country in the region with 3,109 suspected cholera cases and 86 deaths from the end of June. Cholera is endemic in the country, where major outbreaks have been reinvented in recent years.
Regional crisis
Chad, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Côte d’It Ivoire and Togo are also facing ongoing epidemics.
A total of 612 cholera cases were reported in Ghana per day. April 28, 322 Cases and 15 Deaths in Côte d’Voire from July 14 and 209 cases and five deaths in Togo from June 22.
Niger, Liberia, Benin, the Central African Republic and Cameroon are also under close surveillance due to their vulnerability.
UNICEF response
Printing and scaled -up effort is needed to prevent further spread and contain the disease throughout the region.
During the outbreak, UNICEF has provided life -saving health, water, hygiene and sanitation supplies for treatment facilities and communities.
The Agency has also supported cholera vaccinations, scaled up emergency and response efforts and encouraged families to seek timely treatment and improve their hygiene practice.
“We are in a race against time and work hand in hand with the authorities to provide significant healthcare, safe water and proper nutrition for children who are already at risk of deadly diseases and severe acute malnutrition,” Mr. Fagninou.
“Together with a number of partners, we strengthen community engagement and expand our reach to remote and underrated areas, which makes every effort to ensure that no child is left behind.”
Unicef West and Central Africa require an urgent $ 20 million over the next three months to upscale critical support in health, washing, risk communication and community commitment.
