Water Accessibility and Cholera in Douala, Cameroon

Abstract

Douala is the economic capital of Cameroon. It is at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and River Wouri that flows into the sea. Apart fromthe low altitudes and warm temperature, the city also has a very high-water table. These however affect the population in relationship to cholera. Most of the population of Douala use well water. Although most of these wells are not used for drinking but in carrying out house chores, this still exposes these inhabitants to contamination. As the city is found at the bank of the estuary between River Wouri and the Atlantic Ocean, just like most African countries, Douala lacks adequate supply of potable water. Due to the shanty and swampy nature of most of its neighborhoods, potable water installations hardly reach the population. This explains why we wanted to find out the relationship between their accessibility to water and cholera. The approach used is qualitative with the use of in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussion with the local populations and the authorities. This article explores the main water sources relating them to cholera vulnerability.