Why the Endemoepidemicity Persistence of Cholera in Moba (DR. of Congo)? Preliminary Study in the Health Area of Regeza in 2016

Abstract

Background: Cholera is a very old endemo-epidemic disease linked to the conditions of defective hygiene. It is a public health problem, mainly in Africa and Asia. Aim: The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine the level of knowledge of the population in relation to the factors favoring the endemicity and epidemicity of cholera among the exposed populations. Methods: This is a prospective, descriptive cross-sectional and analytical study. Interviewing and document analysis techniques were used in the different strata over the three-month period, from April to June 2016. Results: The profile of the respondents was mostly male (56.7%) aged over 30 years (61.2%), farmers (40.9%) or fishermen (26.1%) with a low level of instruction. The mean age was 32.1 ± 2.3 years with extremes ranking from 18 to 57 years. This study revealed that the main factors contributing to endemicity and epidemicity persistence of cholera were the low level of education, the environmental proximity with rivers and Lake Tanganyika, the incorrect habits of the population to think of the mystic in the genesis of cholera cases disease, low level of mobilization for cholera control, poor knowledge of the pathways of transmission of cholera, poor treatment of drinking water and the large consumption of inadequate water, knowledge of the critical moments of handwashing, the low use of soap or ash when washing hands, the large proportion of plots without latrines or with unhygienic latrines, poor management of household waste, poor organization of placement sessions at the level of cholera, poor knowledge of the means available to fight against cholera, poor management of faecal peril and poor general hygiene conditions. Conclusion: The conditions of poor knowledge of cholera and of deficient hygiene combined in our environment are favorable to the endemicity and sometimes the occurrence of cholera epidemics. Efforts should be made in relation to the improvement of hygiene conditions (individual and collective), communication for behavioral change and education of the population in the fight against cholera. The tree solution to the problems of cholera encountered in this study (in Appendix) may be the model to follow.