Oxfam says reaching 20,000 in fighting cholera crisis in Juba
August 11, 2016 (JUBA) – Oxfam aid agency has announced to have reached more than 20,000 Juba residents as it continues to fight the city’s ongoing cholera outbreak.
The organization said it is working with communities in Munuki, Gudele and Kondokoro, densely populated neighbourhoods with little or no access to clean water. The agency is assisting residents by sharing information, through public campaigns and household visits, on how to prevent the spread of the disease, and the importance of seeking treatment if they fall ill.
“Oxfam’s cholera preparedness work was well underway before the recent outbreak of violence in Juba,” reminded the statement released by Oxfam on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, the agency repaired and drilled boreholes at a number of sites around the city, improving access to clean water for more than 5,000 residents, and reached more than 12,000 people through public hygiene messaging.
Oxfam also trained teachers to include hygiene messages as part of their curriculum, and worked with market vendors on improving hygiene in food management.
“Needs were great even before the recent violence here in Juba. There’s no doubt that even more people would have been affected by this outbreak had we not planned early and been able to respond quickly,” said Dr. Rama Anthony, Oxfam Acting Country Director.
“We will be doubling our efforts to reach more residents in the coming weeks to prevent the spread of cholera before it affects many more people. This is a massive undertaking, but Oxfam is committed to containing this outbreak,” he added.
There has been an outbreak of cholera in Juba and in some other parts of the country, with the government and relief organizations battling the disease to stop it from spreading across the war-ravaged young country.
(ST)