[allAfrica.com]  [Leon_H._Sullivan_Summit]


Cholera Outbreak Hits As Displaced Persons Cry for Food Aid

The NEWS (Monrovia)
NEWS
June 17, 2003
Posted to the web June 17, 2003

By Bill K. Jarkloh
Monrovia
An outbreak of diarrhea among some 10,000 internally displaced persons at the
D. Twe High School last Friday claimed the lives of school-teacher James B.
Tarweh, three-year-old Sackie Sama, Zoe Dukuly and five-year-old Jenneh Mussah.
Our reporter who visited the area said the disease also claimed the lives of
62-year-old Bendu Dukuly and 72-year-old Jenneh Massaquoi.
The Director of Nursing at the Redemption Hospital, Madam Theresa Sudue, who
caters for the D. Twe IDPs earlier referred to the cholera outbreak as "severe
diarrhea outbreak," but lamented that there was the lack of equipment to
diagnose the disease until the MSF/B got involved with referrals.
According to Madam Sudue, he admits about 10 cholera patients at her residence
daily. This acute condition she blames on the lack of save drinking water,
latrine and medicare, and said she has been using natural oral rehydration salt
to cope with the situation.
Madam Sudue also called for the reopening of the Redemption Hospital to avert
the spread of the pandemic throughout the New Kru Town community.
However, the Medicine San Frontier of Belgium (MSF/B) has started to restore
medical services to New Kru Town beginning with provision of safe drinking
water to the D. Twe IDPs and the erection of a mobile clinic at the back of the
Redemption Hospital.
Medical workers say the MSF/B's mobile clinic which was transferred from
displaced centers at the Brewerville now caters for the entire New Kru Town
area.
It was said the MSF/B authorities were negotiating with the Ministry Health to
reopen the Redemption Hospital which was destroyed during the recent battles.
The MSF/B has operated the Hospital before the incident which left scores of
in-patient killed.
Meanwhile, the IDPs at the D. Twe High school and other schools and churches in
the New Krutown area are calling on the Charles Taylor Humanitarian Commission,
the LRRRC and other aid agencies to help them with food and other supplies.
The Chairman of the Camp Management Committee, J. Forkpa Watson said the IDPs
were in dire need of food, cooking utensil and clothing including blankets and
feet-wears as those assistance that are of urgent need for now.

   

  =============================================================================
   Copyright © 2003 The NEWS. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica
                         Global Media (allAfrica.com).
  =============================================================================