The Associated Press reported in a lengthy report on Friday that conflicts and crises contribute to the spread of “cholera” in Arab countries and published a story reflecting the suffering of those affected by the disease.
Shadia Ahmed was terrified when rain flooded her cabin one night, drowning her seven children. The next morning, the children developed vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms.
After a humanitarian group conducted cholera tests in Ahmed camp for Syrian refugees in the city of Bhanine in northern Lebanon, the youngest of them, Aseel, 4, tested positive.
Cholera has spread to Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, where these countries struggle with poor infrastructure, unrest and host large numbers of displaced by the conflict. Last month (October), Lebanon reported its first case of cholera in nearly 30 years.
Bacterial infections have increased globally in dozens of countries this year, with outbreaks in Haiti, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. The outbreaks of hundreds of thousands of cases due to conflict, poverty and climate change represent a serious setback for global efforts to eradicate the disease.
“Cholera thrives in poverty and conflict, but is now exacerbated by climate change. Regional and global health security is at risk,” said WHO regional spokesman Inas Hamam.
Cholera control efforts focus on vaccination, clean water and sanitation. Last month, the World Health Organization announced a temporary suspension of the two-dose vaccination strategy because production was unable to meet the growing demand. Officials are now giving single doses so more people can benefit from the vaccine in the short term.
Cholera infection is caused by ingesting food or water infected with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. Although most cases are mild to moderate, cholera can cause death if not treated properly.
Ahmed, 33, said of Aseel, his daughter who contracted cholera: “I spent all night taking her to the bathroom, giving her medicine, washing her and sterilizing her. I couldn’t sleep and was up all night just looking at her. fear of the worst.
Aseel and his siblings eventually improved and was the only confirmed case of cholera in the family.
Across the border in Syria, UN officials and agencies announced last month that a cholera outbreak was sweeping the entire country.
According to the United Nations and the Syrian Ministry of Health, the outbreak in Syria is due to people drinking unsafe water from the Euphrates River and using contaminated water to irrigate crops.
In areas controlled by the Syrian regime, and in areas controlled by the Kurds in the north-east of the country, nearly 17,000 cases of cholera and 29 deaths have been recorded.
In the opposition-controlled Syrian province of Idlib, most of the 4 million people have been displaced by the conflict. They depend on international aid and live in the fields.
More than half of Idlib does not have regular access to water. Many households use polluted water from wells close to wastewater.
3,104 cases of cholera and five deaths have been recorded in Idlib governorate. Dr Abdullah Hamidi, of the Syrian American Medical Association, expects a hike this winter.
“The health system in the area is weak,” Hamidi said. “Medical organizations and local councils are trying to sterilize the water and are organizing seminars to limit the spread of the disease.”
In Salah al-Din camp in the opposition-controlled Aleppo countryside, children play near a sewage swamp and activists conduct awareness sessions for the population.
“We are concerned about its spread in our field,” said resident Jamil Latvo.
Iraq has been suffering from a cholera epidemic for years. In Lebanon, the disease has been rare for decades.
Three years ago, Lebanon fell into an economic crisis. Most Lebanese now rely on water transported by private suppliers and private generators for electricity. Public institutions cannot buy fuel and pump water into homes.
Since last month, Lebanon has reported 2,421 cases and 18 deaths. About a quarter of these cases are children under the age of five. Vibrio cholerae bacteria are found in drinking water, sewage systems and irrigation water.
The country hosts more than one million Syrian refugees. The Lebanese health ministry said most of the cholera cases were detected in refugee camps.
In Bhanine, Shadia and her children are crammed among apartment buildings, along with dozens of other Syrian refugees. The families live in weak wooden huts with tarpaulin walls and ceilings. They share three toilets and three sinks.
Like most homes in Lebanon, camp residents buy water on trucks from private suppliers. The state does not test the waters for safety.
“The water was contaminated but we had no choice but to use it. There was no water to drink, let alone water to clean, wash dishes, wash our clothes or shower,” said one resident, Ali Hammadi.
UN humanitarian agencies have begun providing clean water to the camp, disinfecting walls and doors, and holding information sessions. It is also donating fuel to the Lebanese government so that the authorities can pump the water again.
“The support we are providing cannot replace utility lines and the national power grid, which basically fails most of the time,” said Ettie Higgins, deputy representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). in Lebanon.
WHO has been working with Iraqi health authorities to help bolster their cholera response, visiting water treatment plants and testing laboratories in Baghdad since last month.
UNICEF said it urgently needed $ 40.5 million to continue its work in Lebanon and Syria for the next three months.
“These camps are a breeding ground for disease outbreaks. We will not be able to respond adequately unless there is an intervention with medical equipment and aid,” said Hamidi of the Syrian American Medical Society.
