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FROM THE FIELD

As cholera rages in Zimbabwe ICDDR,B team races to lend a hand
08 Feb 2009 05:27:00 GMT
 Source: ICDDR,B
Henry Richards

Website: Website: http://www.icddrb.org

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ICDDR,B team working in Zimbabwe
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ICDDR,B team working in Zimbabwe
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Background

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•  Health and diseases

•  Chikungunya

•  Zimbabwe crisis

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As an organization with decades of expertise in the treatment of cholera and management of large epidemic outbreaks, ICDDR,B has always been ready to help when other nations face cholera outbreaks. When cholera broke out in Zaire in 1994, an ICDDR,B epidemic control team arrived in Goma quickly to help manage an epidemic that was killing as many as 2000 people a day. In June of 2008, we responded again, this time with videoconference consultations, when Iraqi doctors faced a potential cholera outbreak in Kirkuk. Now, as a cholera epidemic that has already killed hundreds seems to be accelerating in Zimbabwe, ICDDR,B is answering the call to service once again, sending a team of experts in cholera outbreak management to assist on the ground. According to UNICEF, 13,960 cholera cases have been reported in Zimbabwe since August 2008 amidst a situation "characterized by acute humanitarian needs and more protracted, chronic vulnerabilities". The outbreak is already widespread, affecting nearly 70% of districts in the country and spreading to neighbouring countries. The Red Cross reported on 23 December 2008 that this epidemic, which has killed more than 1,500 people already, may now spread further following the onset of Zimbabwe's rainy season and travel related to the Christmas holiday. Following a request from WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) for technical support, ICDDR,B immediately responded, dispatching its experts in cholera case management to work with WHO and support the Ministry of Health in Harare, Zimbabwe. The team, led by Dr Pradip Bardhan, comprises 3 clinicians, 1 lab scientist and 2 medical epidemiologists and will be working in conjunction with WHO team already on the ground as well as the Ministry of Health of the Government of Zimbabwe. "We are going with an open mind, not knowing what to expect...we need to go and observe and then use our experience to help the local authorities combat the situation", said Bardhan. As with other Centre missions to tackle cholera in Ecuador, Peru, Cambodia, Mozambique and Yemen, this rapid response to combat the epidemic in Zimbabwe highlights the important role of the Centre as a professional and responsive world resource.

Over the years, the Centre's experts have been ready to respond when expertise in the management of outbreaks of cholera was needed. We remain prepared to respond to future epidemics no matter where they may occur around the globe.


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Topics

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Emergencies

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Members

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Background information

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A cholera patient rests inside an ambulance at Mabvuku Polyclinic in Harare February 4, 2009. Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic has killed more than 3,000 people and infected 63,000, according to U.N. figures. ...


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Last updated:Sun Feb 8 05:32:52 2009