OCHA Situation Report
Guinea-Bissau: Cholera
29 August 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. Situation in Bissau

1. As of 28th of August, over 3200 cases of cholera are reported with 70
deaths confirmed. To note that during the year 2005 outbreak 25,000 cases
were reported with over 400 killed. However, the fatality rate for 2008 is
2.4% whereas in 2005 it was 1.8%.

2. Cholera outbreak began on May 18 in the region of Tombali (southern
part of the country) ? In one week 76 cases and 5 confirmed deaths were
recorded.

3. On June 15, first cases were detected in the capital Bissau. In July
08, the government of Bissau officially declared an emergency and put in
place an action plan to stop the epidemic in close collaboration with WHO
and UNICEF

4. Following this, the UNCTundertook a joint assessment in the affected
areas to evaluate the severity of the crisis and to draft an action Plan
based in collaboration with the Ministry of health.

5. In July 24, UNICEF and WHO submitted a CERF request under the Rapid
Response window for special emergency funds.Evolution of the cholera since
the beginning of the outbreak:

6. Now the epidemic has reached the town of Sao Domingos (northern part),
and in two weeks 35 cases and 6 deaths were confirmed ? Sao Domingos is
bordering Ziguinchor (South of Senegal) and could easily spread to
Senegal.

7. If compared to other wide-spread epidemics of past years - after the
same number of weeks since the start - the number of cases is inferior
this year; however the situation is worrying as a peak can be expected in
September-October, where environmental conditions and socials/agricultural
events can contribute to a faster spreading of the epidemic.

8. Seeing the sustained spread of the outbreak and the increase trend of
cases, MSF Spain and OXFAM US are mobilising a team to collaborate in the
Cholera Response.


II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

9. The government of Bissau allocated approximately US$ 14,000 for feeding
patients at the hospital Simao Mendes in Bissau and is also supporting the
promotion of hygiene awareness among the population in remote areas.

10. Guinea Bissau Red Cross is working on hygiene awareness in remote
villages and has provided disinfectant liquid to the concerned health
centre

11. Other activities of the government includes: Daily disinfection by the
AEGB (national water and energy agency) of 5 reservoirs of the water
system of Bissau; Disinfection of traditional and improved water wells in
Bissau (until now more than 700 wells disinfected) by the Service of
Hygiene and Epidemiology of Ministry of Sanitation and voluntaries ;
Disinfection of 2 public markets in Bissau by the Service of Hygiene and
Epidemiology of Ministry of Sanitation and the Fire Brigade; collect and
appropriate disposal of the hospital garbage of the Simao Mendes Hospital
by the Bissau Municipality (all these activities are directly supported by
UNICEF)

12. A responsible for the Re-hydration Treatment Centre of Simao Mendes
National Hospital has been appointed. The new Minister of Health is
personally chairing a daily coordination meeting in this treatment centre,
with the participation of the General Director for Public Health, the
General Director of the national Hospital and the Director of Bissau
Health Region.


III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

13. WHO is providing technical support to several health centres and is
providing care of the medical, epidemiological side and case management.
Support and supervise regular active surveillance, epidemic control
measures and case management of cholera, provide mobile treatment centres
in under-serviced areas, and laboratory with necessary equipments.

14. UNICEF, an Emergency Response Coordinator has been deployed and is
responsible of the overall response in collaboration with the Ministry of
Health as well as an International Consultant for Communication. Main
sector of intervention are in communication and WASH.

15. ICRC, at the onset of the epidemic donated medicine to ministry of
health

16. Plan International is working in Bafata and Gabu. Main sector of
intervention are in Hygiene awareness, water sanitation and provision of
medicines.

17. WFP will provide one month food ration for 150 patients to the
Hospital Simao Mendes in Bissau

18. ICRC is supporting 60 volunteers in the region of Quinara and Tombali
for hygiene awareness.

19. MSF Spain is about to deploy a team on the ground to collaborate in
the cholera response.


IV. UPDATE ON FINANCIAL PLEDGES

20. CERF allocated US$ 201,765.00 to WHO and US$ 400,146 to UNICEF in
their joint action plan to stop the epidemic.

21. As of the 1st of September OXFAM America will support the efforts to
fight cholera through the NGO NADEL, contributing an amount of US $48,854.

22. ICRC allocated approx US$ 14,000 through the National Red Cross

23. Plan International allocated approx US$ 25, 0000 for the regions of
Bafata and Gabu.

24. UNICEF has already allocated over US$ 750,000 since the beginning of
the outbreak


For more technical details please contact:

Herbert Schembri
UNICEF Emergency Response Coordinator in Bissau
hschembri@unicef.org

Dr. Daniel Kertesz
Head of WHO Bissau
Tel : (245) 724 8750
kerteszd@gw.afro.who.int

Dr. Inacio Carvalho de Alvarenga
Disease Prevention and Control Officer , WHO Bissau
Tel: (245) 720 0153
alvarengai@gw.afro.who.int

Carlos Geha
OCHA
Tel: (221) 77 639 21 38
gehac@un.org

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