Cholera hits east African cities

Abstract

This brief article reports that epidemics are occurring in many African cities particularly in slums. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for government and medical aid organizations to increase their management and control of the spread of cholera. In December 1997 about 50 people from 2 slums in Nairobi died due to cholera. Cholera spreads easily in slums with few latrines and no clean water. A similar increase in deaths from occurred in Kampala Uganda. Zanzibar Island had a more serious epidemic of which killed about 120 people and hospitalized 700 persons in Zanzibar Town. The health authorities responded by closing schools and sending health units to affected areas. Disaster relief organizations have opened 2 cholera camps to ease the burden on local hospitals. On Tanzanias mainland is spreading fast in Dar es Salaam. Other rapidly spreading mortality is occurring in Mombasa and Kisumu Kenya and Mbale Uganda. A December 19 1997 speech by the head of the WHO task force identified the epidemic as out of control. WHO and UNICEF have coordinated a consortium of medical aid agencies to increase technical assistance health education training and improvements in laboratory facilities.