WHO warns of cholera threat in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps

Save the Children to dispatch nine support teams for healthcare

The World Health Organisation warned yesterday of a growing risk of a cholera outbreak in the makeshift refugee camps in Bangladesh where some 436,000 Rohingya Muslims have sought shelter from unrest in Myanmar, reports AFP from Cox’s Bazar. A month after the exodus began, those dispersed in some 68 camps and settlements along the border do not have safe drinking water and hygiene facilities, according to the WHO. The camps also face dire shortages of food and medicine in what has quickly become one of the world's largest refugee settlements.

"Risk of water borne diseases is high, especially there is very high risk of cholera and this is why everyone is concerned," the WHO said in a statement.

 "Interventions are being scaled-up, however, the situation remains critical and challenging." The latest influx has overwhelmed the camps around Cox's Bazar, which previously housed at least 300,000 people who had fled earlier violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The WHO says mobile medical centres have been set up, while Bangladesh health authorities say they have treated some 4,500 Rohingya for diarrhoea in a month and vaccinated some 80,000 children for measles and polio.

"We are trying our best to face the challenges. But we are concerned," Enayet Hossain, deputy head of Bangladesh's health services, told AFP.

The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) group said last week the camps were on the brink of a public health disaster as filthy water and faeces flow through shanties. It said a "massive scale-up of humanitarian aid" was needed, with adults on the cusp of dying from dehydration.

UNB adds: Save the Children in Bangladesh will send nine mobile emergency healthcare support teams to Cox's Bazar to give primary healthcare support to about 165,000 displaced Rohingya people.

The aid agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will send the support teams to provide healthcare support to the displaced Rohingyas, including 75,000 children and 42,000 pregnant and lactating women, said a press release of Save the Children.

The teams will spread over the makeshift camps at Balukhali, Kutupalong, Leda, Shamlapur, Hakimpara, Mainnerghoma, Burma Para/Tasnimarkhola, and Jamotoli/Thangkhali, providing infant and young child feeding and community-based management of acute malnutrition among infants. It will also provide mental health and psychosocial care support service and essential newborn care.

Rohingya children, currently sheltered at different makeshift camps, are suffering from different diseases, like diarrhoea and fever, and if countermeasures are not taken quickly, there may be a major disease outbreak.

"We are seriously concerned about the children and pregnant women and their grave health risks, and because of lack of sufficient health care services, they may have acute and chronic health effects. Save the Children is trying to provide the basic primary health care support within its capacity," said Dr Shamim Jahan, the health director of Save the Children in Bangladesh.

More than 436,000 refugees have crossed the border from Rakhine since August 25 when a military crackdown was launched following attacks by Rohingya militants, according to UN figures yesterday.

WHO warns of cholera threat in Coxs Bazar Rohingya camps

Save the Children to dispatch nine support teams for healthcare

The World Health Organisation warned yesterday of a growing risk of a cholera outbreak in the makeshift refugee camps in Bangladesh where some 436,000 Rohingya Muslims have sought shelter from unrest in Myanmar, reports AFP from Coxs Bazar. A month after the exodus began, those dispersed in some 68 camps and settlements along the border do not have safe drinking water and hygiene facilities, according to the WHO. The camps also face dire shortages of food and medicine in what has quickly become one of the worlds largest refugee settlements. Risk of water borne diseases is high, especially there is very high risk of cholera and this is why everyone is concerned, the WHO said in a statement. Interventions are being scaled-up, however, the situation remains critical and challenging. The latest influx has overwhelmed the camps around Coxs Bazar, which previously housed at least 300,000 people who had fled earlier violence in Myanmars Rakhine state. The WHO says mobile medical centres have been set up, while Bangladesh health authorities say they have treated some 4,500 Rohingya for diarrhoea in a month and vaccinated some 80,000 children for measles and polio. We are trying our best to face the challenges. But we are concerned, Enayet Hossain, deputy head of Bangladeshs health services, told AFP. The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) group said last week the camps were on the brink of a public health disaster as filthy water and faeces flow through shanties. It said a massive scale-up of humanitarian aid was needed, with adults on the cusp of dying from dehydration. UNB adds: Save the Children in Bangladesh will send nine mobile emergency healthcare support teams to Coxs Bazar to give primary healthcare support to about 165,000 displaced Rohingya people. The aid agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will send the support teams to provide healthcare support to the displaced Rohingyas, including 75,000 children and 42,000 pregnant and lactating women, said a press release of Save the Children. The teams will spread over the makeshift camps at Balukhali, Kutupalong, Leda, Shamlapur, Hakimpara, Mainnerghoma, Burma Para/Tasnimarkhola, and Jamotoli/Thangkhali, providing infant and young child feeding and community-based management of acute malnutrition among infants. It will also provide mental health and psychosocial care support service and essential newborn care. Rohingya children, currently sheltered at different makeshift camps, are suffering from different diseases, like diarrhoea and fever, and if countermeasures are not taken quickly, there may be a major disease outbreak. We are seriously concerned about the children and pregnant women and their grave health risks, and because of lack of sufficient health care services, they may have acute and chronic health effects. Save the Children is trying to provide the basic primary health care support within its capacity, said Dr Shamim Jahan, the health director of Save the Children in Bangladesh. More than 436,000 refugees have crossed the border from Rakhine since August 25 when a military crackdown was launched following attacks by Rohingya militants, according to UN figures yesterday.