Following the destruction caused by hurricane Freddy, the World Health Organisation‘s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa has warned of an increased risk of cholera, particularly in Malawi, Madagascar, and Mozambique.
The cyclone left thousands of people homeless and killed nearly 500 people in southern Malawi.
“The cyclone has left an appalling humanitarian situation in its wake. More than 300 health faculties including university hospital centres have been destroyed or flooded in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique leaving communities without adequate access to health services. The extensive damage, flooding and torrential rains have affected more than 1.4 million people in the three countries and stretched the limit, the capacity of health systems”, said Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
When the storm arrived, Malawi was already dealing with its deadliest cholera outbreak in history. More than 1,700 people have died as a result of the outbreak.
“We have shipped nearly 184 tonnes of laboratory, treatment and other critical medical supplies to boost the cholera outbreak response and we have decentralised this response operation to hotspot districts”, added the WHO’s Regional Director for Africa.
More than 160,000 people have been domestically displaced, and the UN estimates that over a million people in Madagascar and Mozambique have also been impacted.