Baghdad/Amman,25 September 2008 – An international UN mission returning from Iraq’s cholera-affected Babel governorate says Iraqi officials are responding effectively to the outbreak. Led by World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for Iraq Dr. Naeema Al Gasseer and a UNICEF specialist, the mission met the Governor of Babel, as well as local health officials. They also visited hospitals and water treatment plants to assess the current needs and readiness to respond should cases increase.

”The government response is appropriate to the situation,” said Dr. Al-Gasseer. “Currently, , hospitals are prepared, drugs are available and a major public information drive underway. WHO has been working closely with Iraq’s government, local health officials and communities to ensure a “team approach” to cholera containment, and we will continue to reinforce this effort nationwide”.
The mission stressed that this year’s outbreak appears less severe than in 2007. WHO has confirmed 306 cases in 10 governorates in 2008, far below the 4,700 reported last year and even below Iraq’s annual average of 600. Cases are building up slowly in rural areas, where families lack clean water and sanitation. Iraq’s cities have been virtually un-affected so far.

The Humanitarian Coordinatorfor Iraq, David Shearer, said the national response has been swift and coordinated. He reinforced the UN’s commitment to help Iraq end this outbreak quickly. “The UN has mobilized inside Iraq to help the government contain cholera, and we are ready to do much more,” he said. “Iraqi communities are not facing a full-scale cholera crisis, and we will do all we can to ensure that it stays that way.”

WHO also warned against complacency, saying surveillance, accurate reporting and containment initiatives are critical to prevent further spread. 12 deaths have also been reported from confirmed or suspected cholera, 4 of them are children under 10. Babel governorate also remains a concern, accounting for 66% of all new cases in the country.

The UN is supporting the government’s cholera control efforts in all affected districts. WHO is gathering information from 950 surveillance sites in Iraq to monitor and report suspected cases. UNICEF and its partners are helping to provide water, hygiene supplies and information  for over 45,000 people and schools. UN staff has visited hospitals to confirm that adequate medical supplies and care are available. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is providing chlorine to clean contaminated drinking water. WHO has also worked with the Ministry of Health on a Cholera Preparedness and Response National Plan for future outbreaks.

As an immediate measure, WHO and UNICEF are encouraging Iraqi parents to focus on hygiene for their young children. 66% of Iraq’s cholera cases this year are children under 5.

“The involvement of families and communities is key to slowing cholera in Iraq,” said Sikander Khan, UNICEF Representative for Iraq. “There must also be increased effort and investment to upgrade the damaged water and sanitation networks that could be spreading this disease.”