Environmental campaign to combat cholera epidemics, Baydah

YemenExtra

SH.A.

Director General of Environmental Emergency, Ministry of Water and Environment Majid Al Rifai on Friday check the progress of the environmental campaign against vector cholera in the province.

 UNCIF collaboration with Ministry of Water and Environment over nine days targeted some districts in province which is witnessing a surge in the epidemic.

They pointed out that the teams are working according to the plan prepared in advance to target swamps and garbage dump sites in addition to the removal of waste by cleaners and their role to sensitize the community to the importance of promoting personal hygiene and methods of prevention of the cholera epidemic.

Yemen is facing a massive resurgence of cholera in what was already one of the world’s worst outbreaks, with more than 137,000 suspected cases and almost 300 deaths reported in this year.

With well over 2,000 suspected cases being recorded every day – a doubling since the beginning of the year – aid agencies fear they could be facing a major new health crisis.

Amid mounting concern over the return of the epidemic – which first broke out in the war-devastated country in 2016 – aid agencies are reporting cases in 21 out of 23 governorates, with children under five making up a quarter of those affected.

Despite the spread, however, the outbreak has been worst in six governorates, including in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, and Ibb, in the south of Yemen, according to Save the Children.