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Uganda: Cholera Outbreak DREF operation n° MDRUG032 Preliminary Final Report

Countries
Uganda
Sources
IFRC
Publication date
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Summary: CHF 184,804 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 30th August, 2013 to support the Ugandan Red Cross national society (URCS) in delivering assistance to some 900,500 beneficiaries.

On 18th April 2013, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported a cholera outbreak in the districts of Hoima, Nebbi and Buliisa. An assessment conducted by the District Health Offices and URCS branches on the outbreak estimated that 217,350 persons (38,128 households) in the affected sub-counties were at high risk of cholera infection, with a wider population of 900,500 people in the districts also at risk due to high mobility of the population in the area.

In close cooperation with the government and other involved agencies, URCS engaged in active case finding, health education and hygiene promotion activities in the affected areas. Additionally, URCS distributed jerry cans and water treatment products as well as constructing hand washing facilities and emergency latrines.

This DREF operation enabled URCS to expand on its intervention and complement with enhanced awareness raising activities. The operation contributed to increased public awareness about cholera (signs and symptoms, transmission risk factors, actions for suspected cases, its prevention and control measures) for 900,500 people at risk in the affected districts. The intervention also contributed to improve early detection, reporting and referral of suspected cholera cases through community based disease surveillance mechanisms. In addition, the response improved access to safe water and awareness around sanitation and hygiene practices for 4,000 vulnerable families (18,700 people) in the affected areas, specifically around hand washing practices, use of latrines, drinking of aqua safe treated or boiled water.

This final report contains a detailed outline of the activities implemented during the timeframe of the operation.

The Canadian Red Cross and Canadian Government contributed with the replenishment of 13 % of the DREF allocation made for this operation.

The major donors and partners of DREF include the Australian, American and Belgian governments, the Austrian Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and government, Danish Red Cross and government, DG ECHO, the Irish and the Italian governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Luxembourg government, the Monaco Red Cross and government, the Netherlands Red Cross and government, the Norwegian Red Cross and government, the Spanish Government, the Swedish Red Cross and government, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations, and other corporate and private donors. Details of DREF contributions can be found on: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/Active/MDR00001.pdf.

IFRC, on behalf of Uganda Red Cross Society, would like to extend thanks to all partners for their generous contributions.