UN Sending Aid To Angola To Counter Cholera

The United Nations is rushing aid to Angola to counter cholera epidemic which has killed about 2,000 people and sickened 50,000 in the African nation.

The UN health agency said it is sending drugs, oral re-hydration salts, disinfectants and chlorine to counter the poor sanitation and a shortage of safe drinking water, major vector of the disease.

"Although current trends show a decline in most provinces, a daily incidence of around 125 cases is still being reported," the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its latest update.

A plan of action has been drawn up and agreed upon by all partners at the country level, for short, medium and long-term response to the outbreak, while the WHO continues to support the health ministry of the country in its surveillance, sanitation activities.

As of 19 June, Angola had reported a total of 46,758 cases including 1,893 deaths.

About 35 per cent of victims are children under five. Even at the best of times, Angola faces one of the highest under-five mortality rates in the world as the southern African country struggles to rebound from a devastating civil war that ended in 2002 after destroying much of its infrastructure over the previous 27 years.

With global attention focused on the World Cup, four football stars have taken to the airwaves encouraging Angolans to participate in an upcoming immunization campaign aimed at preventing killer child diseases.

(Source:PTI News)

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